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Sciences 
Corporation 


33  W^  MAIN  STMET 

WEBSTER,  N.Y.  I4S80 

(716)  S72-4S03 


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CIHM 
Microfiche 

Series 
(Monographs) 


ICMH 

Collection  de 
microfiches 
(monographies) 


Canadian  Institute  lor  Historical  Microraptaductlans  /  Instltut  Canadian  da  mlcroreproductions  hlstoriquaa 


^ 

^  ■" 

(£) " 

\      W0  J    " 

Technical  and  Biblioflraphic.  Notes  /  Notes  techniques  et  biblio]|raphiques 


vj 


The  Institute  has  attempted  to  obtain  the,  best  original 
copy  available  for  filming.  Features  of  this  copy  which 
may  be  bibliographically  unique,  which  may. alter  any 
of  the  images  in  the  reproduction,  or  which  may 
significantly  change  the  usual  method  of  filming,  are 
checked  below. 


D 
D 
D 

n 


Coloured  covers/ 
Couverture  de  couleur 


Covers  damaged/ 
Couverture  endommagte 


Covers  restored  and/or  laminated/ 
Couverture  restaurie  et/ou  pellicula 

Cover  title  missing/ 

Le  titre  de  couverture  manque 

Coloured  maps/ 

Cartes  giographiques  en  couleur 

Coloured  ink  (i.e.  other  than  blue  or  black)/ 
Encre  de  couleur  (i.e.  autre  que  bleue  ou  noire) 

Coloured  plates  and/or  illustrations/ 
Planches  et/ou  illustrations  en  couleur 

Bound  with  other  material/ 
Reli^  avec  d'autres  documents  ' 

Tight  binding  may  cause  shadows  or  distortion 
along  interior  margin/ 

La  reliure  serrie  peut  causer  de  I'ombre  ou  de  la 
distorsion  le  long  de  la  marge  intirieure 

Blank  leaves  added  during  restoration  may  appear 
within  the  text.  Whenever  possible,  these  have 
been  omitted  from  filming/ 
II  se  peut  que  certaines  pages  blanches  ajoutto 
lors  d'une  restauration  apparaissent  dans  le  texte, 
mais,  lorsque  cela  itait^ossible.  ces  pages  n'ont 
pas  eti  f  ilmies. 


L'Institut  a  microfihnf  le  meilleur  exemplaire  qu'il 
lui  a  M  possible  de  se  procurer.  Les  details  de  cet 
exemplaire  qui  sonjt  peut-4tre  uniques  du  point  de  vue 
bibliographique,  qui  peuvent  modifier  une  image 
-  reproduite.  ou  qui  peuvent  exiger  une  modification  , 
dans  la  inithode  normale  de  filmage  sont  indiqu«s 
ci-dessous.  ^  ,      •/ 

0  Coloured  pages/ 
Pages  de  couleur 

□  Pages  damaged/ 
Pages  endommagto 

□  Pages  restored  and/or  laminated/ 
Pages  restauries  et/ou  pellicultes 

0  Pages  discoloured,  stained  or  foxed/ 
Pages  d^ories.  tacheties  ou  piquees    . 


The( 
to  th 


The  i 
poss 
of  th 
filmi 


Origi 
begii 
the  I 
sion, 
othe 
first 
sion, 
or  ill 


V 


0  Pages  detached/ 
Pages  ditachtes 

0Showthrough/ 
Transparence 


□  Quality  of  print  varies/ 
Qualite  in^le  de  I'impression 

□  Continuous  pagination/ 
Pagination  continue 

Includes  index(es)/ 
Comprend  un  (des)  index 

Title  on  header  taken  from:  /  * 
Le  titre  de  I'en-tlte  provient: 


D 


I       I  Title  page  of  issue/ 


Page  de  titre  d^a  livraison 


The 
Shall 
TINl 
whi( 

Map 
diffe 
entii 
begi 
right 
requ 
metl 


I       ]  Caption  of  issue/ 


Titre  de  depart  de  la  livraison 


□  Masthc 
Ganert 


Masthead/ 

Ganerique  (piriodiques)  de  la  livraison 


0 


Additional  comments:/ 
Commintaires  supplimentaires: 


Pages  wholly  or  partially  obscured  by  errata  slips,  tissues,  etc,  have  been  ref  ilmed  to  ensui 
the  best  possible  image. 


( 

rhis  item  is  filmed  at  the  reduction  ratio  checked  below/ 

Ce  document  est  filmi  au  taux  de  rMuction  indiqui  ci-dessous 

10X                               14X                                18X 

22X 

26X 

30X 

V 

"^ 

■ 

12X 

1CX 

20X 

24X 

28X 

• 

32X 

% 


vue 


m 


n  refilmed  to  ensui 


32X 


The  copy  filmed  here  has  been  reproduced  thanks 
'  to  the  generosity  of:     /        . 

Harold  Campbell  V^han  Memorial  Library 
Acadia  University  / 

The  images  appearing  here  are  the  best  quality 
possible  coniiidering  the  condition  and  legiBility 
of  the  original  copy  and  in  keeping  with  the 
filming  contract  specifications. 


Original  copies  in  printed  paper  covers  are  filmed 
beginning  with  the  front  cover  and  ending  on. 
the  last  page  wi|h  a  printed  or  illustrated  impres- 
sion, or  the  back  cover  when  appropriate.  All 
other  original  copies  are  filmed  beginning  on  the 
first  page  wjth  a  printed  or  illustrated  impres- 
sion, and  ending  on  the  last  page  with  a  printed 
or  illustrated  impression. 


The  last  recorded  frame  on  each  microfiche 
shall  contain  the  symbol  —^  (meaning  "CON- 
TINUED "),  or  the  symbol  V  (meaning  "END"), 
whichever  applies. 

Maps,  plates,  charts,  etc.,  may  be  filmed  at 
different  reduction  ratios.  Those  too  large  to  be 
entirely  included  in  one  exposure  are  filmed 
beginning  in  the  upper  left  hand  corner,  left  to 
right  and  top  to  bottom,  as  many  frames  as 
required.  The  following  diagrams  illustrate  the 
method: 


1 

2 

3 

1 


L'exemplaire  film6  fut  reproduit  grflce  A  la 
g6n6rosit6  de: 

Harold  Campbell  Vaughan  Memorial  Library 

AcadiaUnivewty 


Les  images  suivantes  ont  6x6  reproduites  avec  le 
plus  grand  soin,  compte  tenu  de  la  condition  et 
de  la  nettetd  de  l'exemplaire  film6,  et  en 
cohforn)itd  avec  les  ^Qnditions  du  contrat  de 
filmage.  '~ 

Les  exemplaires  originaux  dont  la  couverture  en 
papier  est  imprimie  sont  filmds  en  commenpant 
par  le  premier  plat  et  en  terminant  soit  par  la 
dernidre  page  qui  comporte  une  empreinte 
d'impression  ou  d'illustration,  soit  par  le  second 
plat,  selon  le  cas.  Tous  les  autres  exemplaires 
originaux  sont  film6s  en  commenpant  par  la 
premidre  page  qui  convporte  une  empreinte 
d'impression  ou  d'illustration  et  eh  terminant  par 
la  dernidre  page  qui  comporte  une  telle 
empreinte.  / 


Un  des  symboles  suivants  apparaitra  sur  la 
dernidre  image  de  cheque  microfiche,  selon  le 
cas:  le  symbole  -^>  signifie  "A  SUIVRE  ",  le 
symbole  V  signifie  "FIN  ". 

Les  cartes,  plancihes,  tableaux,  etc.,  peuvent  dtre 
film6s  6  des  taux  de  reduction  diffdrents. 
Lorsque  le  document  est  trop  grand  pour  dtre 
reproduit  en  un  seul  clich6,  il  est  film6  A  partir 
de  Tangle  sup6rieur  gauche,  de  gauche  6  droite, 
et  de  haut  en  bas,  en  prenant  le  nombre  ■ 
d'images  n^cessaire.  Les  diagrammes  suivants 
illustr^nt  la  mdthode. 


,'■%■* 

/•'* 


-- 

.    1 

\ 

2 

3 

■ 

6 


OLIVER  opnc's 
ARMY  And  NAVY  STORIES. 

The,    Sailor    Boy,    or   jack 
Somen  in  the  Navy.  ^ 

Tile    Yankee    Milddj'.    or 

Adventures  of  a  Naval  Otficer. 

®'^^®-*?^T^„,. «»*«:»   »'  Life  on 


eul 
not 
•be 
era, 
tail 
ie« 

or 

ble. 


I 


OLtVER  OPTICS         ^ 

RIVERDALE  STORIES. 

Cloth.    PervoL.Mo.       ■> 
LitUe  Merohattt. 
Young  Voyaoara. 
Christinas  Gift. 
Dolly   and  1. 
TTnol«    TlAn. 


rr. 


•bOTi  ; 
lanoi  ; 
>lir«r  . 
Ikillof  : 
ction,  : 
It."—  : 


BtOH. 


£a 
1 


:  Ti 


! 


r*-  3-  |~.  J 


Sold  Evrrvwhkrbj 

;  Mutaliia  more  rcAdknTir  m«U«r 
I  tkan  anv  other  Jnvciine  nutmm- 
;  Eftte  published.  "         ^* 


LEE  i  SHEPARD,  Mbliahen,  Boston. 


5* 


America  in  Germany. 


ID. 

•raign 


oong    1 


>•  or  : 

:land. 

ca  in 


oung  : 


oimg  I 
•otipg  : 


"The^  are  by  tu  the  moat  initonctlve  bookf  : 
written  by  thii  populv  autlior.  and  while  iiuJn.  '• 


venfare  to  enchain  the  _^ 
rnider.  there  It  itiU  a  great 
Hon  conwyed  fenytlnj     ' 


reet  of  the  youthfti 

K meant  of  fnforma- 
l«togr»  natural  fc».  j 


laining  Utroughout  enough  of  excitement  and  ad' 
—  —  . ..-.     ..^   -ji^i  .  . 

^^*S[*3#^\*^ffi(^Snr  iand,  aST^T 
SSStilS?H!^£»'*~*  "^  l-opiHrtUah  tb^  J 


LEE  A  SNEPARft  PuUUm^  Bomoo. 


OLIVER  OPnC'S 

LAKE   SHORE   SERIES. 

Six  Vols..  Illust.  /Pm  vol.,  Ii.aj. 


9F>  '^'V?  X?"^  Engineer  of  the  Lake 


Throoirh  bf  Daylisht ; 

Or,  The  Yo        "     • 
Shore  Railf 

Lifbtninv  ^xpl-ess ; 

Or,  llie  Rival  Academiea. 
On  Time; 

Stealer  ^*^"*  Captain  of  the  Ucayga 

8«rJtch  Off; 

Or,  The  War  of  the  Student*. 

Brake  Up ; 

Or,  The  Young  Peacemaken^ 

Bear  and  Forbear ; 

Or,  The  Young  Skipper  of  Lake  Ucayga. 
M^fS'IIuPR?"  "J^  •"'•  popularity  to  •  plcuknt 

ftSPSi.1!? ^P*^  •"<»  ™nciet  of  the  young  people 
Sl^^^ISMS'i'J^w  He  »ritei  like  »  wi^^S^ 
SSnS^S'*  "^  '*^.'"  •*•»•  therefore  .Ch^ 
ISh^  "«•"•"  ™«ly  attained  by  hii  t^ 
•enbet.  —  CKriMoa  Advocate.  «»»"w 

LEE  A  8HEPABD,  Publishers,  Boston. 


OLIVER   OPTICS 

STARRY"  FLAG  SERIES. 

Six  Vols.  ,  Illust.    Pbr  vou,  $t.  35. 
The  Starry  Fla^; 

Or,  The  Young  Fishern|jai  of  Cape  Ann. 

Breaking  Away; 

Or,  The  Fortunes  of  a  Student 

Seek  and  Find; 

Or,  The  Adventures  of  a  Smart  Boy. 
Freaks  of  Fortune ; 

Or,  Halt  Round  the  World. 

Make  or  Break ; 

Or,  Tlie  Rich  Man's  Daughter.  i 

Down  the  River; 

N  Or,  Buck  OJradford  and  his  Tyrants*       • 

Thew  book!  are  exciting  murmtlvei,  and  ftill  of  : 
«lrring  adventurei,  but  the  youthflil  heroei  of  the  i 

i  u"*  "**'''*•  »«"'-»«"'«cing,  and  courageous,  •' 
and  the  itoriet  conuin  nothing  which  wUl  do  • 
injury  to  the  mind  or  heart  of  the  youthfkil  reader.  : 
—  Webiler  TYme*.  ; 

-"^       LEE  i  8HEPARD,  Publishers.  Boston.  .' 


OLIVER  OPTIC'S 

BOAT  CLUB    SERIES. 

Six  Vols.,  Illust.    Pkr  vol.,  |i.a$. 
The  Boat  Clnb; 

Or,  The  Bunkers  of  Rij^letoa 

All 'Aboard; 

Or,  Life  on  the  Lake. 

Now  or  Never ; 

Or,  the  Adventures  of  Bobby  Bright 

Try  Again ; 

Or,  The  Trials  and  Triumphs  of  Harry 

Poor  and  Prond; 

Or,  The  Fprtunes  of  Katy  Redbum. 
Little  by  Little ; 

Or  The  Cruise  of  the  Flyaway. 

thhS!'i'{h,5'i'Jt^'»J!°.^  tor  diT  and  tame 

Silfcwhll.  J?Cr."'*  •??"*•..  Optic  alwayt  4o«f 
{StyriS^^jy^'J*'*?  timelw  tfftimyettkettita 

LEE  A  8HEPARD,  Publishers,  Boston. 


OLIVER  OPTIC'5 

WOODVILLE  STORIES. 


Six  Vols.,  Illust.    Pcr  vol.,  Ii.sj 


»?# 


Rich  and  Homble; 

Or,  The  Mission  of  Bertha  Grant 
In  School  and  Out; 

Or,  the  Copquest  of  Richard  Grant 

Watch  and  Wait; 

Or,  The  Young  Fugitives. 
Work  and  Win: 

Or,  Noddy  Newman  on  a  Cruia*. 
Hope  and  Have;    '  i 

Or,  Fanny  Grant  among  the  Indians. 

Hatite  and  Waste; 

Or,  The.  Young  Pilot  of  Lake  Cham-  • 

plain. 


!"v*,r  QPfi"  ••  ">•  apoitolic  fiicoesaor,  at  the  : 

'""W"*^/?*,'''  J^''.*y-.   H»ha.JurtcofnpletSS  : 

"  Woodvule  Sjpriw.."  by  the  publlcaflinrf  : 

!■»*«  and  Waite."    The  beit  noflce  to  give  rf  ; 


. 


11.   .Vi  ''?^^'       A  IIP  IKK  noucq  ^ 

^j.L*"  mention  Wat  a  conptmrvoniMtar 
pulled  thcni  out  of  the  pile  two  hour«  iin«^  and  ■ 
JTiiJu  devouring  tliem  out  in  the  mimmer-houM  : 
(albeit  autumn.leave»  cover  it)  obliviooa  to  moffln  : 
time.  — jr.  y.  leader.  -•t»»" 

UE  A  SHEPAfD.  Publishcn,  Boston.        ^^ 

-■ v-«^S^| 


J; 


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THE  ^^B.  O.  W.  Cr   SERIES, 

TO  BE  COMPLETED  IN  SIX  VOLS,   ° 


1.  THE  '«B.  0.  W.  C."  ^    "* 

2.  THE  BOYS  OF  GRAND  PR^  SCHOOL. 

-     ^ 
(Otliers  in  preparation.) 


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?     TH/E/BOYS 

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aBAND  PRi:  SCHOOL. 


BT  THE  AUTHOR  OF 


"THE  B.  0.  W.  C,"  '^HE  DODGE  CLUB,"  BtC. 


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ZZZUaTBATBJD, 


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^         BOSTON.  .       ^  '    ^        ^, 

LEB    A]NP    SPEPAILD;   PtJBLISHERS. 
'    ^     NEW^yORK:  vu 

XKB,  8HEFABD  It  DIUa$£^^AM,  48  OAEENE  STBEEEr^^^ ,  ^^ 

1813^  .         • 


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Entxred  according  to  Act  of  Congress,  fh  the  year  1870, 

Br  LEE  AND  SHBPARD, 

In  the  Office  of  the  Llbrarlaa  of  Conigress,  at  Washington. 

A 


c.  3 


Cambridge  :  Printed  by  Welch,  Bigelow,  &  Ca 


t!\ 


ILICTROTTPID   AT    THI 

Boiton   stereotype   Foundry, 
~~ Hd.  &  Spring  Ijaiai^^=^~ 


CONTENTS. 


o 


I. 


PAOI 


The  Camp  in  the  Woods.  —  Weapons  of  War. —An  Inter- 
ruption. —  An  old  Friend.— A  Mineral  Rod.— Tre- 
mendous Excitement.  —  Captain  Corbet  on  the  Rampage. 
—  A, Pot  of  Gold .    11 


n. 

The  Old  French  Orchard.  —  The  Frinch  Acadians.  —  The 
ruined  Houses.  —  Captain  Corbet  in  the  Cellar.— Mys- 
terious  Movements.  —  The  Mineral  Rod.  -  Where  is  the 
Pot  of  Gold  t  -  Excitement.  -  Plani,  Projects,  and  Pre 
poeals 


28 


III. 

A  Deed  of  Darkness.  -  The  Money-diggers.  -  The  dim 
Forest  and  the  Midnight  Scene.  -  Incdntation  assisted 
by  tasar,  the  Latin  Grammar,  and  Euclid.  —  Sudden 
startling,  and   terrific   Interruption.  —  Flight  of  the 
"  B.  0.  W.  C."  -  They  rally  again.     .        ,        , 


43 


IV. 


y  Wonders  of  the  upper  Air.  -  Mr.  Long  calls  upon  the 
Boys  for  Help.  -Att  Hands  at  hard  Labor.  -  Captain 

6 


toW^S 


iii^. 


6 


CONTENTS. 


Corbet  on  a  Fence.  —  The  Antelope  comes  to  Orief.  — 
Captain  Corbet  in  the  Grasp  of  the  Load.  —  Mr.  Long  to 
the  Rescue.       .        .        .       .        .       .        . 


66 


V. 

A  most  mysterious  Sound  in  a  most  mysterious  Place.  — 
What  is  itt —  General  Panic.  —  7%«  adventurous  Ex- 
plorers. —  They  are  baffled.  —  la  Pat  at  the  Bottom  of  it  t 
—  Ba/rt  td^es  his  Life  in  his  Hand,  and  goes  alone  to 
encounter  the  Mystery  of  the  Garret.       .-      . 


83 


VL 

The  great,  the  famous,  and  the  never-to-be-forgotten  Trial. 
—  Captain  Corbet  hauled  up  before  ihe  Bar  of  Rhodes- 
manthus.  —  Town  and  Gown.  —  Attitude  of  the  gaUant 
Captain.  —  The  sympathizing  Townsmen.  —  Old  Zeke 
and  his  Rat.  —  Mr.  Long's  eloquent  Oration,  ending  in 
the  Apotheosis  of  Captain  Corbefs  Baby.        .        .        . 


93 


VII. 

The  VaUej/^f  the  Gaspereaux.  —  Invading  the  Enemy's 
Territory.  —  Defiance.  —  Returning  Home  to  find  their 
own  Territory  invaded. — The  Camp.  —  The  missing 
Ones.  —  Where  a/re  they  t  —  The  Gaspereaugians  t       .  106 

vin. 

Bart  and  Solomon  fdXL  into  an  Ambush,  and  after  a  des- 
perate Resistance  are  made  Prisoners.  —  Bonds  and 
Imprisonment.  —  Bruce  and  the  Gaspereaugians.  —  A 
Challenge,  a  Conflict,  and  a  Victory.  —  Immense  Sensa- 

— tiontmong  ihe  Spectators.  —  The  Prisoners  burst  their  "^ 
Bonds.—  Their  Might.  —  Recovery  of  the  Spoils  of  War.  114 


,9'fnf\\  *- 


X 


CONTENTS. 


IX. 

^  TaTl  of"'  'f  "f f ^  interrupted.  -  The  far-off 
mwrJinl  T^?  i^'- Keeping  Watch  at  tie 
O^d^^nchOrch^d.- Another  Roa^.a^another  Chase. 
-Sohlogutes  of  Solomon.  -  Sudden,  amazing,  pTc^l 
y^Vng,  and  utterly  confounding  Discovery.  -  OnedeZ 


127 


.V. 


Spades  agatn-mgging  once  m,re.-.At  the  oldPlace, 
my  Boy.- Resumption  of  an  unfinished  Work.^Un. 
covervng  tU  Money-hole.  -  The  Iron  Pla^e.  -  Tk.  Cover 
of  the  yron  Chest."-  Tremendous,  hut  restrained  E^ 
cttem,ent.  ... 


141 


155 


XL 

^"^tZi^"^^"^^  ''"""*'  "'^  '"'^  R^^ionofths 
J  rum.  -  Rising  superior  to  Circumstances.  —  The^^  Pot 

<***«  «xA«m«d  7V.a,«r«  to  Dr.  Porter.  -  ^.nawter  Re- 
ceptton  of  the  excited  Visitors. 

*  *  *  ^  *  • 

t 

XII. 

t      :  "7  ^^^  ^"*'*  *y  ^''"»»«/7  Twilight.  -  TAe  JVbrtA 
^«te.n.  -  Breakfasting  amid  the  l^ors  n/T 

^'■^J^^-^imUm  Prospect.  ^thMoorMU^^^ 
^*^  9f  th€  French  Acadians.        .        .        .  igg 


\ 


^  — . 
•t*-*!- 


>!* 


8 


CONTENTS. 


XIII. 

Plunging  into  the  Depths  of  the  primeval  Forest.  —  Over 
Rock,  Bushy  and  Brier.  —  A  toilsome  March.  —  The 
Barrens.  —  Where  are  wef—  General  Bewilderment  of 
the  Wanderers.  —  The  Doctor  has  lost  his  Way.  —  Emer- 
ging suddenly  at  the  Edge  of  a  giant  Cliff  with  the  Boom 
of  the  Surf  beneath 


XIV. 

Woods,  Precipices,  Mists,  and  Ocean  Waves.  —  The  Party 
divided,  and  each  Half  departs  to  seek  its  separate  For- 
tune. —  Pat  shows  how  to  go  in  a  straight  Line.  —  Pat 
and  the  Porcupine.  —  In  Cliase  after  Pat.  —Disappear- 
ance of  Pat.  —  A  lost  Pat.  —  Wanderings  in  Search  of 
the  Lost *     . 


187 


197 


XV.' 

AU  lost.  —  The  gathering  Gloom  of  Fog  and  of  Night.  — 
Sudden  Discovery.  —  The  lost  One  found.  —  A  Turkey 
with  four  Legs.  —A  cheerful  Discussion.  —.Five  Hours 
of  Wandering.  —  When  will  it  end  f  —  Once  more  upon 
the  Tramp. 2ii 


XVI. 

Sudden  and  unaccountable  Reunion  of  the  two  wandering 
Bands.— A  tremendous  Circle  described  by  Somebody. 
—  Where  are  we  going  t  —  Scott's  Bay,  or  Hall's  Har-  ' 
bor.  —  Descent  into  the  Plain.  —  Twinkling  Lights.  — 
Sudden  Sound  of  Sea  Surf  breaking  in  the  Middle  of  a 


Prairie. 


220 


xvn. 


Old  Bennie  and  Mrs.  Bennie.  —  Old-fashioned  Hospitality. 
"  —  W?uU  old  Ben  nie  was  able  to  spread  before  his  famished 


CONTENTS.  A 

~A  Mormng  Walk.  -  Behind  Time.  -Hurrah,  Boys!  2U 


XVIII. 


small  Boys.  -  A  great  Suj,^er,  and  a  sudden  Interrup. 

^         FUniJ  .X    ^''^"'^*'    ^"^"-  -  ^"-"^    Uproar.  - 
Fhght  of  the  Grand  Panjandrum.- A  solemn  lime 

the  Abyss  beneath.  -  The  Discovery.       .        .        /       ^  344 

XIX. 

A  puzzling  Position.- Hou>  to  meet  the  Emergency. -A 
Strang,  Suggestion.- Diamond  cut  Diamon7 or  a 
Donkey  rn  a  Garret.  -  Surprise  of  Jig  gins  on  seeing 
the  Stranger.  -  The  fated  Moment  comes.-  The  DonZ 
confronts  the  Garret  Noises.  -  The  Porter  of  a  Bray !^,  353 

XX. 

Fun   complete,  and  final  Revelation  of  the  Great  Gttrret 
yery.-  Confession  .of  Pat.  -  Indignation  of  sZo-  ' 

r/L~<^t  7  "'''V"  '*'  ^^'"^■''"-  -  '^^'  Authorities 
of  the  School  roused.  -  Pat  and  the  "  B.  0.  W.  C  "  are 

hauled  up  to  give  an  Account.  ...  oto 

XXI. 

Called  to  Account.  —  Mr.  Long  and  the  *' B.  O    W.  C."— 
They  get  a  tremendous  «  Wigging."  -  Pat  to  the  'Rescue 

'7'^L  ^''?^/*'««''  -  ^*  ^^^iiden  Guest.  -  Captain 
Corbet  and  the  xrrepressiUe  Babby.  -  Coming  in  Joy  to  ' 
depaH  rn  Tears.  -  The  Relics  again.  -A  solemn  Cere- 

aConsxgnmeni  of  the  exhumed  Treasure  to  its  R^ng- 
I .        .280 


10 


CbNTENTS. 


P 


XXII. 

The  Boys  in  the  Museum.  —  The  Doctor's  Lecture.  —  The 
Acadians.  —  Louxsbourg.  —  ^  Jourruy  to  the  Wharf.  — 
The  AnUlope.  —  Captain  Pfatt.     .        .        .        .  299 


jKxm. 


inspection  of  the  Schooner.  -  Captain  Pra^  to  the  Rescue 
—  His  Engines  and  'his  Industry.  —  Up  she  rises  !  — 
Who'U  go  for  Captain  Corbet  t      .        .        ,        .        .  su 

XXIV. 

Argument  between  Pat  and  Captain  Corbet.  ^  Me'eting  be- 
iween  Captain  Corbet  and  the  Antelope.  -  Pat  alone  with 
the  Baby.  -  Corbet  becomes  an  Exile,  and  vanishes  into 
a  Fog  Bank.    ... 

329 


,-j» 


/  ;■■■ 


THE  BOYS  OF  QMm  m  SCHOOL. 


I. 

/ 

The^  Camp  in  the  mods.-  Weapor^  of  War.- 

'^'  llr""'^^'''''''  -^^  "^^  Friend.- A  Mitral 
f  /  7/^^^^^^  Excitement.  -  Captain  Cor- 
f>etonthe<^ampa^e.  —  A  Pot  of  Gold. 

'HE  spring  recess  waiver,  and  the  boys  of 
■  the  Grand  Pr^   ScKSoI  were  now  to  turn 
from  play  to  study.     The  last  day  of  their 
liberty  was   spent  by  the  "B.  O.  W.  C."  at  their 
encampment  in  the  woods.      They  found  it  in 
so  good  a  condition,  that  it  was   even  more   air 
^ractive  than  when  they  left  it.      The  daiH  had 
proved  water-tight ;  the  pool  was  full  to  the  brim  • 
the  trees  overhung  with  a  denser  foliage,  while 
all  around  the  fresh-turned  earth  was  covered  with„ 
y««nK  grass,  springing  Ibrth  with  that  rapidity"^ 
which  marks  the  growth  of  vegetation  in  these 
colder  regions.  * 


\ 


(") 


Q 


■~^'  iJ 


12 


THE  BOYS   OP  GRAND  PRE   SCHOOL. 


It  was  early  in  the  day  when  they  came  up,  and 
they  were  accompanied  by  the  Perpetual  Grand 
.  Panjandrum,  who  carried  on  his  woolly  head  a 
basket  crammed  to  the  top  with  a  highly-diversi- 
fied and  very  liftcurious  lunch,  which  it  had  been 
the  joy  of  that  aged  functionary  to  gather  for  the 
present  occasion. 

"  Dar ! "  he  exclaimed,  as  he  put  down  his  bur- 
den.     "  Ef  you  habn't  enough  to  feed  yoji  dis  time, 
den  I'm  a  nigga.     Bar's  turkeys,  an  mutton  pies' 
an  hoe-cakes,  an  ham,  an  ginger-beer,  an   dough- 
nuts,  an  de  sakes  ony  knows  what.    All  got  up 
for  de  special  benefit  ob  de  Bee  see  double  bubble 
Bredren,  by  de  Gran  Pandandledrum.     You'll  be 
de  greatest  specjms  ob  chil'cn  in  de  woods  dat 
ebber  I  har  tell  on.    You  gwine  to  be  jes  like  wild 
Injins,  and  live  in  de  wilderness  like  de^  prophets  ; 
^an  I'm  gwine  to  bo  de   black  raven  dat'll  bring 
you  food.     But  now,"Jie  added,"  de  black  crow 
must  fly  back  agen." 

"0,   no,   Solomon,"   said    they,   as  he    started. 
"  Don't  go.     The  '  B.  0.  W.  C  won't  be  anything 
without  you.    Stay  with  us,  and  be  the  Grand  Pan- 
jandrum." 
"Darsn'tl" 
"  O,  yes,  you  mjist." 
"  Can't,  no  how." 
"Why  not?" 


TDarsn't.     De  doctor  'd  knock  my  ole  head  off: 
De  doctor  rmis  hab  ole  Solomon.     Can't  get  alo;ig 


)*(• 

/'\. 


,::.:.:...  ^:\ 


J 


THE  B0Y3  MAKE  PLAHS.      .  13 

rit°dl''r  ,  ^'"l' '''''  ^^''  •'    ^''^'  ^^  -hole  'Cad- 

ren    Z  „    ''?"'  '""^"^ '    W''^.  '''''"bbed  bred- 
ron,J™  epnsed  at  you.    An'  me  de  Qraa  Pan- 

"  ''™«'"  fid  Bart,  gravely.    "  Too  true.    It  was 
Wy  thoughtless  in  us,  Grand  Panjandrum     Tu 
■     '^°°''-r*'".-«a*»dyou.     Keep'dark."    ' 

feartin, '  said  old  Solomon,  with  a  grin.-    "  Dars 
no  fear  but  what  I'll  keep  dark.    Alius'  been  as     ' 
dark  as  any  ole  darky  could  be.    Yah,  yah,  Ih  I '' 
And  he  rolled  up  his  eyes  till  nothing  o;urd  be 
seen  but  the  whites  of  them,  and  chuekled  allover 
and    hen,  with  a  face  of  mock  solemnity,  bobM 
,    h's  old  head,  and  said,—  .>.  wooea 

And  with  these  words  he  departed. 

After  this,  the  boys  gave  themselves  up  to  the 
bus,ness  of  the  day.     And  what  waa  thatT   O 
nothing  u.  particular,  but  many  things  in  genl 

First  and  foremost,  there  was  a  grand  iubilation 
0  be  m^e  over  the  encampment^f  the  "BO      . 
"•i^.,    then  a  grand  lamentation  over  the  end  of       ' 

plans  of  future  action.    In  these  woctfhere  were  A 
^^axa,  nor  w«re  there^ny  wild  iXsTS  T^ 

Zr^       n    '™''  "^'^'  *°  ^'  «h«t  at,  and         , 
there  were  Gaspereaugians  to  be  armed  aglinst     ' 


u 


THE  BOYS   OF  GRAND   PRfi   SCHOOL. 


It  was  certainly  necessary,  then,  that  they  should 
have  arms  of  oflfence  and  defence. 

To  decide  on  these  arms  was  a  matter  that  re- 
quired long  debate.     One  was  in  favor  of  clubs ; 
another,  of  Chinese  crackers;  a  third  had  a  weak- 
ness for  boomerangs ;  a  fourth  suggested  lassos ; 
and  a  fifth  thought  that  an  old  cannon,  with  Bart's 
pistol,  and  the  gun,  would  form  their  ^ost  efficient 
means  of  defence.     But  in  the  course  of  a  long 
'discussion,  all  these  opinions  were  modified ;  and 
the  final  result  was  in  favor  of  the  comparatively 
light  and  trifling  arms  —  bows  and  arrows.     In  ad- 
dition to  these^  whistles  were  thought  to  be  desira- 
ble, in  order  to  assist  in  decoying  the  unsuspecting 
squirrel,  or  in  warning  off  the  prowling  GasperiBau- 
gian.      One  powerful   cause   of   their  unanimous 
decision  wa»  the  pleasing  fact,  that  bows,  arrows, 
and  whistles,  could  be  m^namcmied  on  the  spot 
bj  their  owni   jackknives.      Ash  trees  were  all 
around,  from  which  they  could  shape  the  elastic 
bow ;  tall  spruce  trees  were  there,  from  which  they  *■" 
could  fashion  thfe  light,  straight  shaft ;  and  there, 
too,  were  the  well-known  twigs,  from  which  they 
could  whittle  the  willow  whistle. 

It  was  jolly  —  was  it  not?  xlould  anything  be 
more  So  ?  Certainly  not.  So  they  aU  thought,  and 
they  gave' themselves  «p,  therefore,  to  thef'joy  of 
the  occasion.    They  bathed  in  the  pool.    ^They 


^ ~ _^ » 

oressed  again,  and  lay  on  the  grass  in  the  sun. 
They  gathered  ash,  and  spruce,  and  willow.    They 


>  WHO  OOES^ERB?  .     .       J5 

collected  also  large  quantities  of  fresh,  soft  moss 
wh.ch  they  strewed  over  the  floor  of  the  camTil' 
which  they  at  length  sought  refuge  from  th7e'„n 
and  brought  out  theirj«iyes,  and  went  to  wfrk    ' 

Dees   two  sit  bows,  twd  at  arrows,  and  one  at 
whistles,  laughing,  singing,  talking,  Ming^Lt 
^'n-  -<>  "-ti"?  ™ch  a  generaf'aid  indisd^f 
nate  hubbub  as  had  never  before  been  heard  t 
these  qmet  woods;. when  suddenly  tbey  were 
startled  by  a  dark  Shadow  which  fell  in  f™It  of  th^  ^ 
doorway,  and  instantly  retreated,  followed  by  t 
craoklmg  sound  of  dried  twigs.  ^ 

Jn  a  moment  Bart  was  og  his  feet. 
J^!>9oesth^rer  he  cried,  in  a  loud  but  very  " 

flashed  mto  h.s  mind,  and.  into  the  mind^of  Jt 

The  Gaspereaugians  I 

■     FuU  of  this  thought,  they  aU  arose,  even  while 

'ji  faint  crackle  among  the  dried  twigs  was  the 
only  respgse  that  came. 

"WSo^oesttere;"'  cried  Bart  a  third  time  in  a 
^c^ofde^detenninatioa.  u^^J^^^^ 

At  this  menacing  and  imperative  Summons  there 


^^ 


,    I 


r\ 


'  y 


16 


THE  BOYS   OP  QRAND   VTlt  SCHOOL. 


A 


camci  a  response.  It  came  m  the  shape  of  a  figure 
that  stole  forward  in  front' of  the  doorway,  slowly 
and  carefully ;  a  figure  that  disclosQd  to  their  view 
the  familiar  form,  and  the  meek,  the  mild,  the  ven- 
erable, and  the  well-remembered  face  of  Captain 
Corbet !  Greeted  with  one  universal  shout  of  joy. 
"  Here  we  air  agin,  boys,"  said  the  venerable 
commander,  as  he  stepped  inside,  and  looked,  all 
around  with  a  scrutinizing  glance.  ' "  We've  ben 
together  over  th&  briny  deep,  ah  here's  the  aged 
Corbet^  right  side  up,  in  good  health,  and  comes 
hopin  to  fitid  you  in  the  Bam(0^ 

"Corbet !  Corbet !  Captain  Corbat !  Three  cheers 
for  the  commander  of  the  great  expedition  to  Blomi- 
don ! "  And  upon  this  there  rang  out  three  cheers 
as  loud  and  as  vigorous  as  could  be  produced  by 
the  united  luiigs  of  the  five  boyS. 
^s^Captain  Corbet  regarded  them  with  an  amiable  "^ 
sfiule.  • 

'"Kind  o'  campiih  out?  "said  he  at  last 
thought  by  what  you  *told  me'^u'd,  be  up  to 
■  thin  like  this,  an  I  come  down  thinkin  I'd  find 
ftnd  Here  we  air."  '  • 

^^g^w's  the  baby,  captain  ?  "  asked  Bart. 

]|i;tere:^ly  wonderful  good  state  of  health 
)kin  ^n   crowin  like  mad  ;    ony 
ftind  a^ep— jbless  him.    I've  ben 
eveiiweiico  I  arrove,  which  I- feel 
Itcrbe^^errotid  penivelege,  an  the  highest  parear 
tialjy." 


A  DISKIVERV. 


17 


and  now  sit  down  an  sing  us  a 
Wol,  as  to  settin,  I'.ll  sctTbut  as^to  singin, 


I't  tlio^  time  nor  tho  vice.     Tho.fact  is,  1  como 
down  oh  ousmesa."  ' 

At  this  Captain  Corbet's  faoo  assumed  an  ex- 
pression of  deep  anddark  ra^^ery.  Ho  had  a  stick' 
in  his  hand  about  a  yard  lorjg,  rather  slender,  and 
somewhat  .^irty.  Ho  now  held  out  this  stick, 
looked  at  it  for  a  few  moments  in  indescribable  so^ 
lemnity;  then  closed  his  eyes,  then  shook  his  head, 
and  then,  putting  the  stick  behind  his  back,  ho 
drew  a  long  breath,  and  looked  hard  at  the  boys. 

"  Business  ?  "  said  Arthur ;  "  what  kind  of  busi- 
ness?" '  "\ 

Captain  Corbet  looked  all  around  with  an  air  of 
furtive  scrutiny,  and  then  regarded  the  boys  with 
more  solemnity  than  ever.  He  held  out  his  stick 
again,  aud  regarded  it  with  profound  earnestness. 
^It'^A^iskivery,"  said  he. 
WA  discovery?."  a^ed  Bart,  Ml  of  wonder  at 
Captam  Corbet's  very  singular  ri^inn^r;  "a  dis- 
covery?   What  kind  of  a  discovery  >" 

A,diskivery,"  <5ontinued  Captain  Corbet ;  «  and 
this  here,  stick,"  he  continued,  holding  it 'forth 
"this  here' stick  is  the  identical  individooal  article 
that's  made  %  aiskivery  to  me.  'Tain't  everybody 
jd  tell.;  but  yoijLboys  air  diiferoat.  I  truat  youHB.  '- 
Do-you  see  that?"  shaking  the  stick;  "doyouknow 
what  that  air  is?    Guess,  now."  '      '   . 

2  - 


r  r 


I' ' 


.  '< 


'  I  ;--■ 


18    TflE  BOYS  OP  THE  GRAND  TUt   SCHOOL. 

"  That  ?  "  said  Bart,  somewhat  contemptuously. 
"  Why,  what's  that  ?    It's  only  a  common  stick." 

At  this  Captain  Corbet  seemed  deeply-  offended. 
He  caressed  the  stick  affectionately,  and  looked 
reproachfully  at  Bart. 

"  A  stick  ?  "  said  he  at  last ;  "  a  common  stick  ? 
No,  sir.  'Tain't  a  stick  at  all.  Excuse  The.  Thar '3 
jest  whar  you're  out  of  your  reckonin.  'Tain't  a 
stick  at  all ;  no,  nor  any  thin  like  it." 

"  Well,"  said^Bart,  "  if  that  isn't  a  stick,  I  should 
like  to  know  what  you  call  one." 

"0,  you'll  know  —  you'll  know  in  time,"  said 
Captain  Corbet,  whose  air  of  mystery  now  returned, 
arid  made  the  boys  more  anxious  than  ever  to  find 
out  the  -cau^e.        ^ 

''  If  it  isn't  a  stick,  what  is  it?  "  asked  Bruce. 

"  Wal  —  it  ain't  a  stick,  tliar." 

"What  is  it,  then?" 

"It's  —  a  —  ROD,"  said  Captain  Corbet,  slowly 


Isn't  a  rod    a 


and  impressively. 

"A  rod?     Well,  what    then? 
stick?" 

"No,  sir,  not  by  a  long  chalk.      Besides,  this 
here's  a  very  pecooliar  rod." 

"How's  that?" 

Captain  Corbet  rose,  went  to  the  door,  looked  on 

every  side,  with  eager  scrutiny,* then  retunied,  and 

-looked  mysteriously  at^^  boyaf  then  ^stepped 


nearer ;  then  he  bent  down  his  head ;  and  finally 
he  said,  in  an  eager  and  piercing  whisper,  — 


&M 


THE  MTSTEEIOUfi   ROD. 


19 


"  IV 8  a  mineral  rod  I"  < 

"  A  mineral  rod  ?  " 

,„H  ^^l'^^'"  f  "^  ^''P*"'"  Co'-bet,  stepping  back 
and  watehmg  the  boyseagerly, so  Is to'^seefhe  fuU 
eflect  of  th>s  startling  piece  of  intelligence.-*^ 

The  effect  was  such  as  might  have  satisfied  dren 
Captain  Corbet,  with  all  "hig  mvsterv  A'  !!■  , 
rod  I  whflt  rn.(U  K  "lystery.     A  nuneral 

'wu.  wuai  could  be  more  expifinrt- *.^  *i.„  • 

«;nofbo,s.    Hadthe,norhri„fsucl'S 

iney  had  read  of  mmeral  rods  as  thev  had  tmA  „<• 
o«.er  t  ings      They  had  feasted  thSginltlns 

mistT?:'  ^"^'°'^'  ^''^^O'''  ^-o-ancerH  hy 

which  rt"^":-  ""'.'''  "-o   "tl--  chaacte™ 
Which  go  to  make  up  the  wonder-world  of  a  bov  • 
and  among  all  the  things  of  this  wendltorW 
nothmg  was  more  impressive  than  a  mine^od 

jne  earth -this  was  the  resistless  «  sesame  " 
h    bandit'  'h; -ay  to  the  hoarded  treas^Tof   ' 

K-d  last  year  Tnd  J    ,        '^^    ^  «"'  *'^'  """»«™1 
yoa--.  and  went  round  every whar  over  the 


-*'-| 


. »■ '    . i J- 1   >r*V 


20 


THE  BOYS  OP  GPAND  Pb6  SCHOOL. 


•*«' 


. 


huU  country.  It  didn't  come  natral,  at  fust,  but  I 
kep  on.  You  see  I  had  a  motive.  It  wan't  iny- 
self.  It  wan't  Mrs.  Corbet.  It  was  the  babby ! 
He's  a  growin,  and  I'm  a  declinin  ;  an  afore  he 
grows  to  be  a  man,  whar'U  I  be  ?  I  want  to  have 
somethin  to  leave  him.  That's  what  sot  me  up  to 
it.  Nobody  knows  anythin  about  it.  I  darsen't 
tell  Mrs.  Corbet.  I  have  to  do  it  on  the  sly.  But 
when  I  saw  you,  I  got  to  love  you,  an  I  knew  I 
could  trust  you.  For  you  see  I've  made  a  diskiv- 
ery,  an  I'm:  goin  to  tell  you  ;  an  that's  what 
brought  me  down  here.  Besides,  you're  all  fa- 
vored  by  luck ;  an  ef  I  have  your  help,  it'll  be  all 
right." 

^  "  But  what  is  the  discovery  ?  "  asked  the  boys, 
on  whom  these  preliminary  remarks  made  a  still 
deeper  impression.  ^ 

"  Wal — as  I  was  a  ^ayin,"  resumed  the  captain 
— "  I've  been  a  prowlin  round  and  round  over  the 
hull  country  with  the  mineral  rod.  It's  full  of 
holes.  Them  old  Frenchmen  left  lots  of  money. 
That's  what  I'm  a  huntin  arter,  and  that's  what 
I've  found."  ■       .4 

Theae  last  few  words,  added  in  a  low  but  pene- 
trating whisper,  thrilled  the  boys  with  strange  ex- 
citement. 

"  Have  you  really  found  anything  ?  "  asked 
Bart,,  eagfirl^r^JiimiaUB  jt?^    ]^ 


How?" 
Captain  Corbet  took  off  his  hat  very  solemnly, 


m ' 


THE  COPPEB  COIN. 


21 


■^<- 


and  then  plunging  his  hand  into  his  pocket  he 
Dy  one.    He  thus  brought  forth  a  button,  a  knife 

a  pl  a  tit  -^f-' '  P^''^  '^  ^''^^'  ^  b^-««  cannon, 
a  pin,  a  bent  kmtting  needle,  some  wire,  a  rat  skin 
a  memorandum  book,  a  bone    a  «on,Vr!l^  I  m    ' 
potato,  a  wallet  half  nf  .        '  ,     ^^"''^?®^i«  *ail,  a 
lamD-wiok    «  p  ^"^  ^PP'®'  ^°  ^°k  fcottle,  a 

iamp-wick,   "Bonaparte's    Oraculum,"  a   LrniL - 
gas,  a  corkscrew,a  shaving  brush,  and  yenZy   ' 

«!/  grave  and  serious  manner.  >  ' 

his  olher'no' W  :k''  "'*  '"'^  "'""^  **»<»^»  ""'"ad 

pockets  did  he  find  S^^a."'""^^"^*'-^ 

,%;nSeCi;\--trp-t::^^ 


^^««««t  fainrto  took  a  r  T  """"^  ^"g^ 

iVj    J  "•    "  '^as  very  mnfeh  worn  • 

»d^d  on  one  side  it  was  ^uite  smith  and    he' 
"»rk.  were  quite  effaced;  but  on  the  oiher  side 


/ 


22 


THE  BOYB  OF  GRAND  Pr6  SCHOOL. 


there  was  a  head,  and  around  it  were  letters  which 
were  legible.     They  read  this  :  — 

LOUIS  XIV.    ROI  DE  FRANCE. 

All  of  which  sank  deep  into  their  s6uls. 

"  It's  an  old  French  coin,"  said  Bruce  at  length. 
"  Where  did  you  get  it  ?     Did  you  find  it  yourself  ?" 

Captain  Corbet  made  no  reply,  but  only  held  up 
•  his  mineral  rod,  and  solemnly  tapped  it. 

"  Did  you  find  it  with  that  ?  "  asked  Bart. 

The  captain  nodded  with  mysterious  and  impres- 
sive emphasis. 

"Where?" 

"  Mind,  now,  it's  a  secret." 

"  (^f  course."  '  \. 

"  Wal,"  said  Captain  Corbet  slowly,  "  it's  a  very 
serous  ondertakin ;  an  of  it  wan't  for  the  babby, 
an  me  hopin  to  leave  him  a  fortin,  I  wouldn't  bo 
consarned  in  it.  Any  how,  you  see,  as  I  was  tell- 
in,  I  ben  sarchin ;  an  not  long  before  we  sailed 
I  was  out  one  day  with  the  mineral  rod,  an  it 
pislted  —  it  pintcd  —  it  did  —  in  one  spot.  It's 
an  ole  French  cellar.  Thar's  a  pot  of  gold  buried 
thar,  boys  — that  I  know.  The  mineral  rod  turned 
down  hardi." 

"  And  did  you  dig  there  ?  "  asked  Bart,  a»xious- 
ly.     "  Did  you  try  it  r'' 

Captain  Corbet  shook  his  head^ 

"  I  hadn't  a  shovel.  Besides,  I  was  afeard  I 
might  be  seen.     Then,  agin,  I  wanted  help." 

"  But  didn't  yon  find  this  coin  there  ?  ". 


'^k-.. 


THE  BUBIED   TREASURE. 


23 


l\ 


Captain  Corbet  again  shook  his  heaa     ■ 
;  No/'  said  ho.    "  I  found  that  thar'  kino  in  an- 
other cdlar  ;  but  in  that  cellar  the  rod  didn't  railly 
1  pint     So  I  didn't  dig.     I  went  on  a  sarchin  till  I 
found  ono  whar  it  did  pint.     It  shows  how  things 
air     Thar's  money- thar's  other  kines  a  buried 
m  the  ground.     Now  I  tell  you  what.    L^'s  bo 
I    F^dners,  an  go  an  dig  up  that  thar  pot  of  gold. 
Tan.'t  at  all  in  my  line.     'Tain't  ever^n^ody  that  I'd 
tell.     But  you've  got  my  confidence,  an  I  trust  on 
you.     Besides,  you've  got  luck.     No,"  continued 
the  captain  m  a  dreamy  and  somewhat  mournful 
tone  "  'tain't  in  mylin.  for  me,  at  my  dge.  to  go 
huntin  arter  buried  treasure  ;  but  then  that  babby  f 
Every  look,  every  cry,  every  crow,  that's  given  by 
that  bee-lessed  offsprin,  tetches  my  heart's  core 
an  I  pine  to  be^a  dewin  somothin  for  him -to 
smooth  the  way  for  his  infant  foot,  when  poor  old 
Corbet  s  gone.     For  I  can't  last  long.     Yes -yes 
—  I  must  do  it  for  the  babby  "  ^ 

Every  word  that  Captain  Corbet  uttered,  except, 
perhaps  his  remarks  about  the  "  babby,"  only  add- 
ed  to  the  kindling  excitement  of  the  boys  A 
mineral  rod  I  a  buried  treasure  !  What  could  be 
more  overpowering  than  such  a  thought  I  In  an 
instant  the  camp  in  the  woods  seemed  to  lose  all 
Its  attrac  ions  in  their  eyes.     To  play  at  camping 

wastiothing,  compared  with  the  glorious  reality  of 
actually  digging  in  the  ground,  under  the  guidance 


24 


THE  BOYS   OP  GRAND   PRE'SCHOOL.        '" 


of  a  real  mineral  rod,  for  a  buried  pot  of  gold ;  yet 
It  ought  to  be  explained,  that,  to  these  boys,  it'was 
not  so  much  the  value  of  any  possible  treasure 
that  might  bo  buried  and  exl^umed  which  excited 
them,  as  the  idea  of  the  enterprise  itself— an  en- 
terprise  which  was  so  full  of  all  the  elements  of 
romantiayet  mysterious  adventure.    How  tremen- 
.  dous  was  the  secret  which  had  thus  been  intrusted 
to^  them !    How  impressive  was  the  sight  of  that 
mineral  rod  I    How  overpowering  was  the  thought 
of  a  pot  of  gold,  buried- long  ago  by  some' fugitive 
Frenchman  1     How  convincing  was  the  sight  of 
that  copper  coin  I     And,  finalljUiow  very  appro- , 
priate  was  such  an  enterprise,  as  this  to  their  own 
secret  society  of  the  "J3.  0.  W.  C."  I  -It  was  an 
enterprise  full  of  solemnity  and  mystery  ;  beset 
with  unknown  peril;  surrounded  with  secrecy  and 
awe ;  a  deed  to  bo  attempted  in  darkness  and  in 
silence ;  an  iihdertaking  which  would  supply  the 
"  B.  0.  W.  ei"  with  that  for  which  they  had  pined 
so  long —  a  purpose.  .^ 

"  But  18  tl^ere  any  money  buried  ?  "  asked  (Phil 
"  Money  buried  ?  "  said  Bart.     «  Of  course,  and 
lots  of  it.     When  the  French  Acadians  were  ban-  - 
ished,  they  couldn't  ,take  their  money  away.    They 
must  have  Idft  behind  all  that  they  had.    And  they 
had  lots  of  It.    Haven't  you  read  all  about  'Bene- 
^^^^  ^®^^^*^i"6»  t^i®  wealthiest  farmer  of  Grand 
-Pi^^-^f>fjcom-se  youTiave.    Well,^fhe  was  the"" 
wealthiest,  others  were  wealthy.    That  stands  to 


^^; 


THE  BOYS   TAKE  COUNSEL. 


26 


reason      And  ,f  so  what  did  tl.oy  do  with  their 
wealth?      Where  did ^ they  keep  their   money? 
They  hadn't  any  banks.     They  couldn't  buy  stock 
.  and  all  that  sort,  of  thiV.     What  did  they  do  wiU 

tIM  ''"■''".  Wl]y,  they  buried  it,  of  ecu  ! 
Thai'  T:r^'  J-"-ivili.ed  people  r^nagl 
That  s  what  the  Hmdoos  do,  and  the  Persians,  and 
the  Chinese.  People  call  it '  hoarding.'  The^  say 
there  s  enough  gold  and  silver  buried  in  the  earth 
Vf^,  ?"""  *°PV«ffthe  national  debt: 
ahd  I  beheve  there's  enough  money  buried  abou 

of  G.^d  "  ^""'""^  *"  -^  "P  "»  "'«  '•™ 
Bart  spoke  earnestly,  and  in  a  tone  of  deep  con- 
viction  which  was  shared  by  all  the  others     The 
copper  coin  and  the  mineral  rod  had  done  their 
work.    They  lost  all  taste  for  the  camp,  and  its : 
pool,  and  Its  overarching  trees,  and  its  seclusion  i' 
and  were  now  eager  to  be  off  with  Captain  Corbet! 
Before  this  new  enterprise  even  the  greatest  of 
their  recent,  adventures  dwindled  into  insignifi. 
•  canoe.     Captam  Corbet,  with  his  magic  wTnd 

;rdettpior''"^'""^*^^""*°^--»^ 

h  A!™^  ""^^ersation  followed,  and  Captain  Cor- 
invested.   The  boys  took  his  minemi  rod,  which 


he  did  rmt  ^-.^^  ..-  -  ;:,  "    ■™^='-"  'uu,  wnicn 
tit,        "°*  8    .  ^  ™t«n»  T5ad  been  for  a  Iong~ 
toe  coaxed  and  entreated;  they  passed  it  from 
hand  to  hand;  each  one  closely  inspected  it,  and 


^5*!^?^'^- 


:_:^-i^  i,,,^,ij,i.,  |ii,vi,i|^Ji|^,pi|i_i|i|n||pi  ..  .], 


T 


26 


^HE   BOYS  £F^GEAI^  PRjfe  SCHOOL. 


balanced  it  oii  his  finger  sb  as  to  test  the  mode  in 
which  it  ;^orked;  each  orie  asked  him  innumerable 
questions^  abput  it,  and  gave.it  a  long  and  solemn 
trial.      /      /  ^ 

"  Bu/  where  is  the  place  ?  "  asked  Bart.     "  Is  it 
very  far  from  hero  ?  " 

Captain  Corbet  shook  his  head. 

" 'Tajn't  Wy  far  off,"  said  he.     "  I'll  show  you  "' 
"  Whiich  way  ?  "  asked  Tom.       . 

The  captain  waved  his  rod  in  the  direction  of 
the  Academy.    , 

"  What !  That  way^?  "  asked  Bart.  "  Are  the 
cellars  there  ?  " 

"Yes." 

"  You  don't  mean  those.  What  I  Just  behind 
the  Academy  ?  " 

"  Yes." 

"  It's  the  'Old  French  Orchard,'  then,"  cried 
Bart  — "the  'Old  French  Orchard.'  The  only 
cellars  in  that  direction  are  under  the  old  French 
apple  trees,  on  the  top  of  the  hill.  Is  that  the 
place  you  mean,  captain  ?  "  - 

"  That's,  the  indentical  individool  spot,"  said  Cap- 
tain  Corbet.  ) 

"  The  '  Old  Fre^h  Orchard  '  I"  exclaimed  the 
other  boys  in  surprise  ;  for  they  had  expected  to 
be  taken  to  some  more  remote  and  very  different 
place. 

— If-WaVLoaid  Oap^in-  Corbet,  « tbarthar  ptace^^ 
a  very  pecoqliar  place.     You  see  thar's  a  lot  o' 


P«!j,!.l  «i(^.i|if  lilUdJIIIIlf  l.ljllipp.,  ..    .|,l 


THE  POT  OF  GOLD. 


27 


cellars  jest  thar,  an  then  tfee  ole  apple  trees- 
they  re  somethin.  The  ole  «enchman  that  lived 
up  thar,  must  hev  ben  rich." 

ril^'Th!!  v"  ^^"'""'IBart, "  Captain  Corbet's 
ngirt  The  Frenchman  that  lived  on  that  place 
must  have  been  rich.  For  n,y  part,  I  believe  that 
he  was  no  other  than  '  Benedict  Bellefontaioe,  the 
wealthiest  farmer  in  Grand  Pr<!.'  He  buried  all 
h.s  money  there,  no  doubt.    This   is  one  of  his 

pot"of  goTd""      *'°°"  '"""^'  ''°^^'-  "«'"  ^"^  *■>-* 
And  ,v-ith  these  words  they  all  set  out  along  with 
Captain  Corbet  for  the  "  Old  French  Orchard/' 


\ 


■■XipiiMl 


28 


THE  BOYS   OP   GRAND    PRfi  SCHOOL. 


~^ 


v_ 


II. 


"'■^" 


«#-,'. 


0% 


The  Old  French  Orchard.  ^  The  French  Acadidni 
—  The  ruined  Houses.  •— Ca^ain  Corbet  in  the' 
CeUar.  —  Mysterious  Movetnehts.  —  T/ie  Mineral 
Mod—  Where  is  the  Pot  of  Gold ?  — Excitement. 
— Plans,  Projects,  md  Proposals. 


fHE  hill  on  which  Gi^and  Prd  Acadetoy  was 
built  sloped  upwards  behind  it,  in  a  gentle 
ascent,  for  about  a  mile,  when  it  descended 
abruptly  into  the  valley  of  thfe  G|tgpereaux,  For 
about  a  quarter  of  a  mile  "back  of  the  Academy" 
there  were  smooth,  cultivated  meadows,  which  were 
finally  bounded  by  a  deep  gully.  At  the  bottom  of 
this  there  ran  a  brawling  brook,  and  on  the  other 
side  was  that  dense  forest  in  which  the  boys  built 
their  camps.  Here,  on  the  cleared  lands  just  by  the 
gully,  was  the  favorite  play-ground  of  the  school. 
Happy  were  the  boys  who  had  such  a  play-ground. 
High  up  on  the  slope  of  that  hill,  it.  coinmanded-  a 
magnificent  prospect.  Behindi^riii  on  either  side, 
we^'e  dense,  dark  woods  |  but  in  front  there  stood 
Tevealedr jS  boundless  scene.     Bene8itR"^was"lhe^ 


Acadeipy.    Far  down  to  the  right  spread  away  the 


^\, 


■  «•'' 


ACADIAN  SCENEBr.  '  29 

dike  lands  Of  Grand  Prd,  bounded  by  two  long,  low 
islands   wh.oh  acted  as  a  natural  barrier  aglinat 
the  turbvdent  waters;  and  farther  away  rose  the 
dart  ouUme  of  Horton  Bluff,  a  wild,  precipitou! 
chU;  at  the  month  of  the  Gaspereaux  kLr,  mart 
mg  the-place  where  the  hills  advanced  into  the  sea, 
and  tl.e  mac^h  lands  ended.     Beyond  this,  again 
there  spread  away  t1.e  wide  expanse  of  MinL  Bay 
ful  now  with  the  flood  tide  _  a  vast  sheet  of  blu^- 
water,^dotted  with  the  white  sails  of  passing  ves- 
sels,  and   terminated  in  the  dim  and  hazy  di^ 
tonce  by  those  opposite  shores,  which  had  been 
the  scene  of  the.r  late  adventures -Parrsboto" 
Pratt's  Cove,  and  the  Five  Islands.    Par  away  to! 
wards  the  Igft  appeared  fields  arrayed  in  the  living 
green  of  opening  spring;  the  wide  plains  of  Com- 

".'k""?."'  '""«  '''"'^''  "f  <1*«  lands,  sZ 
arated  by  ridges  of  wood  land,  and  bounded  by  th^ 

da*  foM  of  the  North  Mountain.    Through  all 

this,  from  afar,  flowed  the  Cornwallis  Riverfwith 

flood  Wore  them  and  beyond  then^i  till  with  a 
amjestic  sweep,  it  p„„red  its  water7  nto  thlt  ea 
from  which  it  had  received  them.    ^FinaZ  fuU 

foam  gleammg  at  its  base,  rose  the  central  object 


>  \ 


Such  was  the  scene  which  burst  ypon  the  eye. 


h 


30      THE  BOrS  , OP  GRAND  PSt   SCHOOL. 


of  tlie  boys  as  thoy  pressed  the  brook,  and  ascen^ded 
the  other  side  of  the  gully.     Familiar 'that  scene 
was,  and  yet,  in  spite  of  its  familiarity,  it  had  never 
lost  its  attractions  to  them ;  und  for  a  moment  they 
paused  involuntarily,  and  looked  out  before  them. 
For  there  is  this  peculiarity  about  the  scenery  of 
Grand  Pr<i,  that  it  is  not" possible  for  it  to  become' 
,  -iiimiliar,  in  the  common  sense  af  the  word.     That 
-scene  is  forever  varying,  and  the  variations  are  so 
lgreat,,that  every  day  has  some  new  prospect  to 
oflfer.    Land,  sea,  and.  sky,  ^11  undergo  incessant 
changes.     There  is  the  Basin, of  Minas,  which  is 
ever  changing  from   red   to  bhie,  from  a    broad 
sea  to  a  contracted  sfraitUierrtmed  in  by  mud  flats. 
There  is  the  s|)s  ^vith  itJ>«^ange3  from  deepest 
azure    to    dre4iiy   haze,   or^inipenetrable    itist. 
There  are   riv^s- which  chang^rom  fulnesa  to 
emptiness,  majestic  at  the  flow  oVtide,  indistin- 
guishable  at  the  ©bb.     There  is  Blokidon,  Avhi«h 
every  day  is  arrayed  iii.  some  new  rfe^e ;  8om6- 
tlmes  pale-green,  at  other  times  deep  pu^le;-now 
light-gray,  Again    dark-blue  ;    and    t^ius    H  goes 
through  innumerable  changes,  from  the  p^le  neu- 
tral tints  which  it  catches  from  the  overhanging 
fogs,  down  through  all  possible   gradations,  to  a 
.darkness^and  a  gloom,  and  a  pavage  grandeur,  which 
throw  around  it  sometbing  almost  of  terror.     Then 
com^  the  seasons,  which  change  the  widfl  pkins 
from  brown  to  green,  and  from  green  tb  yellow,  till 
winter  appears,  a^d  robes  all  in  white,  and  piles  up 


ACADIAN  SCENERY. 


k 


for  many  »  mile  over  the  shallow  shores  an,)  i„  t^' 
deep  chansols  of  the  rivers  th»  „,  °'^°''  »"<' '»  tho 
masses  of  heaped-up  i"o      '      '  "^^'■.«<=""»''''ting 

are  thus  ZtZ\        '"°""""'"'  ^"^  '"«'  f"'""'*. 

derful  than  ?hese.  K  f„"  f!  f'"^"'  "«'"  '™»- 
for  an  entrance  here  T^^^tT"  T'^'"'^ 
bring  forth  its  hi^n  wat L;  ;  p^o  3"  "S^:';:  ""^ 
Biomidon  the  misf  banks  ire  ^TT'    7^    '"''"' 

J^.heattheb.ast^fthl'wnTsarsta^'H"'' 
the  mirage  comes  inrl  +k  ^*    -^^^^ 

uplifted  fatotraJrTlt^'JhVr'^'T"''  '''"'* 
terious  aa  that  of  sXrnt '"'''- ^"'' '"^'" 
through  all  the  sce„„  ^ '  "''"'^  ^'^''^o^ 

and  te'nder^es*  He  .^T""!"'"''  ^"^'"-- 
wind  may  whirl  TL.  ,'""*'''  '=''^g«  "f 

fromthecrest  of  R  /"""'"*'"'  ""'^'^  down 
wallis,  and  fie  vir     "  '"'"*'"'  ^"'^  "^  C"™" 

iato-tie  Basr:f  Mlnrm  ^''™'^'  '"  "P 
and  river  «j,A  r.1  •         , '        """"itain  and  vailev 

able  .ray  of^^I' gnlj?  "  '''  ^^^'-^-M- 

scent  XX'th?"'  ^"^^"  ^'---J  »^«- 

froshsu^rise^alTt    7Cd^n';Lr''  '"  ="-      ' 
Play  of  the  glorv  of  ,L.         '° '^^Aieessant  dit 

'^^an^ftetlr^''  "^^  «s  never-ending  — 


^'J 


■„M 


32 


THE  BOYS  OF  GEAND  PUt   SCHOOL. 


y  the  perpetual  contemplation  of  this  was  of  itself  an 

-    education.     And  so  strong  was  this  feeling  in  all 

of  them,  that  for  a  moment  all  else  was  forgotten, 

and  it  was  with  an  effort  that  they  recollected  the 

captain  and  his  mineral  rod.  '' 

Upon  this  they  turned  to  carry  out  their  pur- 
pose. ■ 

-In  this  place,  and  close  by  where  they  were 
standing,  were  several  hollows  in  the  ground, 
which,  were  well  known  to  be  the  cellars  of  houses 
'-once  occupied  by  French  Acadians.  At  a  little 
distance  were,  a  number  of  apple  trees,  still  grow- 
ing,  and  now  putting  forth  leaf,  yet  so  old  that 
their  trunks  an&  brandies  were  all  covered  with 
moss,  and  the  fruit  itself,  on  ripening,  was  worth- 
less.>  These  trees  also  belonged  to  the  former 
owners  of  the  houses  — the  fallen  — the  vanished 
race. 

And  at  the  bottom  of  one  of  these  holes  Captain 
Corbet  was  standing,  solemnly  balancing  the  min- 
eral rod  on  one  finger,  and  calling  to  the  boys  to 
come  and  watch  how  it  «  pinted  "  to  the  buried  pot 
of  gold. 

These  cellars  were  but  a  few  out  of  hundreds 
which  exist  over  the  country,  as  sad  memorials  of- 
those  poor  Acadians  who  were  once  so  ruthlessly 
driven  into  exile.  The  beautiful  story  of  Evange- 
line  has  made  the  sorrows  of  the  AcadianH  fftnulr 


lar  to^,  and  transformed  Grand  Prd  into  a  place 
of  pilgrimage,  where  the  traveller  may  find  on 


*.'  .J 


■M-y 


'■'•)■ 


THE  ACADIAUa.  33 

every  side  these  sad  vestiges  of  the  former  occu 
pants      Into  this  beautiful  land  the  French  h^' 
come  first,  they  had  feUed  the  forests,  d^Ied  t^' 
marshes,  and  reared  the  dikes  agains    the  watlt 

pl.ed,  and  long  after  Aeadio  had  been  ceded  tTtt 

),    -1  f'l  """'^  ''"«  ""molested.     tZ^Z 
chenshed  that  patriotic  love  fo'r  France  wh.^h  '^ 

against  their  own  countrymen;  but  on' tha  r.1 
hand,  they  resisted  the  FVench  agents  who  we^: 
sent  among  them  to  excite  ipsurfeotion     aTw 
acted  agains    the  British,  but  the  majority  werl 

s  a^d  bt^t^rttin,:':"  -v-^ 
ranV^:ei<'-v™^^^=^-ng^- 

wrSs^?^  =^"w^ir  F-i 

Irnli*        determined  to  banish  them  all,  and  in  th« 
Kst  cruel  way  conceivable.   Ordinaiy  bll^C^: 


vSUf>>J    1 


^Jh' 


;#. 


■ ' ..  ^,- 


34 


THE  BOYS  OF  GRAND  PR±   SCHOOL. 


would  not  do;  for  then  they  might  wander  to 
Canada,  and  add  their  help  to  their  brethren :  so 
it  was  determined  to'  send  them  away,  and  scatter 
them  over  the  coast  of  America.  This  plan  was 
thoroughly  carried  out.  From  Grand  Prd  two 
thousand  were  taken  away  —  men,  women  and 
children ;  families  were  divided  forever,  the  dear- 
est friend  were  parted  never  to  meet  agaiiu 
Their,  fields  were  laid  waste;  their  houses,  and 
barh^,  and  churches,  were  given  to  the  flames ;  and 
now  the  indelible  traces  of  this  great  tragedy  may 
bo  seen  in  the  ruined  cellars  which  far  and  wide 
mark  the  surface  of  the  country.     Far  and  wide 

also  may  be  seen  their  trees,  —  the  apple  trees 

moss-grown,  and  worn  out,  and  gnarled,  and  decay- 
ing; thef  broad-spreading  willow,  giving  a  grateful 
shade  by  the  side  of  brooks ;  and  the  tall  poplar, ' 
dear  to  the  old  Acadian,  whose  long  rows  may  be 
seen  from  afar,,  rising  like  'so  many  monuments 
over  the  graves  of  an  extinct  race. 

Wliere  is  the  thatch-roofed  village,  the  home  of  Acadian  farmers, 
Men  whose  lives  glided  on  like  rivers  that  water  the  wood  lands, 
Darkened  by  shadows  of  earth,  but  reflecting  an  image  of  heaven? 
Waste  are  those  pleasant  farms,  and  the  farmers  forever  departed 
Scattered  like  dust  and  leaves,  when  the  mighty  blasts  of  October 
Seize  them,  and  whirl  them  aloft,  aniLsprinkle  them  far  o'er  the 
ocean.  " 

Nought  but  tradition  rehiaiiM  of  the  beautiAiI  village  of  Grand  Pr6. 


Now,  the  i<lea  of  the  boys  was  not  by  any  means 
80  absurd  as  may  be  supposexi.    It  was  within  the 


i  > 


.■*frf,. 


■m- 


B  of  Grand  Pr6. 


THE  FRENCH  CELLAR.  35 

cellar  was  by  no  means  an  unlikelv  r.I»  J  <f  ^ 
Con  had  been  their  sei^ure^tha  'L^  7f  the^  W 
uny  t,me  whi^ver  to  exhume  any  of  tbl.r  K  -^ 
treasure,  soT  to  carry  it  aw^  ^^t^'^m  "ah 
had  been  left  behind —  cattln  flf  iT  T  i  •^' 
houses,  furniture,  clothes   ind  of;'  '  ^"' 

Vague  tradition  t„  thiseffect  had  .     "'•  T"^"  ' 
about  the  country  andth       '  «^  ovulated 

that  money  ^iri!^     T  ""^ ''  «'''^«''  ^'^^f 

^  .eft  b^:::  'ir r  rr; :;?  th  "b"^ 

more  thiL.  four  feet  b«  J^"  """'*  ^"^  "»' 
Around  the  edL  Itr!  °  !  ^^^-nding  level, 
the  old  founliS,       '  """'  "'"'""'  ""^^  ""'*«<J 

triou!  capSn'^he  f"f  rrt-    ^''  ^"^  '^'  ■»»* 
of  the  occasion     H    wa^noTn'V'  '"^"^"^ 

foiuied  Into  a  speciesi  n.  ''°°°°'^'^"^ 

WgS     1    *^'      ?!"]"•  '''^  ''"»<»  ^he  rod  of  the 
"g'cm    AH  the  aoUmriity  of  such  a  position  wa^ 


^>  "  V''  w*if< 


36 


THE  B0Y3  OF  GRAND  Pb6  SCHOOL. 


^' 


expressed  in  his  venerable  features.  After  tlirow- 
mg  a  benignant  smiJe  upon  the  boys,  his  ey^s  re- 
verted to  the  rod,  which  was  stiU  balanced  on  his 
finger,  and  he  walked  about,  with  a  slow  and  solemn 
pace,  to  different  parts  of  the  cellar.  First  he  went 
around  the  sides,  stopping  at  every  third  step,  and^ 
looking  solemnly  at  the  rod.  But  the  rod  preserved 
Its  balance,  and  made  no  deflection  whatever  to- 
wards  any  place. 

"Go  down  to  the  middle,  captain,"  said  Bart, 
who,  in  common  with  the  other  boys,  had  been 
watching  these  mysterious  proceedings  with  in- 
tense curiosity. 

Captain  Corbet  shook  his  head  solemnly,  and 
lifted  up  his  unoccupied  hand  with  a  warning  ges- 

«  H-s-s-s-s-s-s-s-s-s-s-s-s-s-s-s-s-h  I "  said  Tom ;  «  don't 
interrupt  him,  Bart." 

Captain  Corbet  moved  slowly  about  a  little  longer, 

and  then  descended  to  the  miMe  of  the  cavity' 

Here  he  planted   himself,  and  his  face  assumed* 

•if  possible,  an  expression  of  stiU  profounder  solemn 

mty. 

And  now  a  strange  eight  appeared.    The  rod 
began  to  move  I 

Slo^y  and  gradually  one  end  of  it  lowered,  so 
slowly,  indeed,  that  at  first  it  was  not  noticed;  but 
at^sjJheyaU^saw  it  plainly^  for  it  went  down.  ^ 
lower,  yet  in  that  gradual  fashion  ;  and  the  boys,  as 
they  looked,  became  almost  breathless  in  suspense. 


'"  f!, 


)0L. 

After  t|irow- 
hia  ey^s  ro- 
mced  on  his 
vand  solemn 
i'irst  he  went 
ird  step,  and'^ 
>d  preserved 
v^hatever  to- 

'  said  Bart, 
s,  had  been 
igs  with  in-  . 

lemnlj,  and 
'^arning  ges- 

'om ;  "  don't 

ittle  longer, 
the  cavity, 
e  assumed, 
ader  solem- 

.     The  rod 

towered,  so 
>ticed;  but 
gent  dowB^ 
be  boys,  as 
L  suspense. 


CAmm  COBBET  WITD  SOD.      ,-37 

^^^CZ';::^^^:'  "p  <=w  to  Cap. 

their  future  lives  d«^/^  "'  """^  "'  """"gh  ^ 
«-'  slender  auTralTdttS  '"  ^^^^^"^  "^ 
J^^a  word  was  .Mea    We;a„d  lo^.r  wen. 

downandd^gged-thf  r;d  ou    of -r'  ""*  "«"' 
1'  slipped,  and  then -it  feu  ''  ^'""'  P»«e. 

and  %  t;,fr^::rCII"^'"''''^  "^  '''«  -"-, 
of  the  bo,s  ieme  t  Xt '  :';^-''  *»  the  kinds' 

a  doubt,  to  be  tlie  XT     ..^     **  ""^  possibility  of 

.;•  <"  saM  Xt"  c'r^t'T  "'^ '  °^  ^'°" 
silence.      "  Thar.     You  see  !'.r' '''""^''e  t^e 

sfong,  that  it  did  nol  ZT  ''^P"'"'^'  ^"^  » 

Captain   Corbet  to  confirm  it"^  T'T'  *»« 
doubt,  there  it  was  i„»t  iT       ,    ^®''  ''«J'ond  a 

do-vn-the  wond:  fu'L  :?:""• "  ""'''  '''^^-<'- 
pot  of  gold.  '  ^^  ""^'stonou*,  the  alluring 

At  laat  the  ' 


"^oii,  bo;]Sr^^*^°by^ 

*  about  itT"'.  °"^  ""'     '^'"''  "«  "-e  going-to 


f*! 


38 


THE  BOYS  OP  pBAND  PB6  SCHOOL. 


" The  question  is,"  j^d  Phil,  "shall  we- dig  it  or 
not?    I  move  that  vv^dig  it." 

"  Of  course,"  said  Bruce,  "  we'll  dig  it.     There'p 
only  one  answer  to  that  question.    But  when  ?   The 
;   fellows  are  around  here  all  the  time." 
"^    "  We'll  have  to  do  it  after  dark,"  said  Arthur. 

"  Early  in  the  morning  would  be  the  best  time,  I 
think,"  said  Bruce,  a'  little  anxiously. 

"No,"  said  Bart;  "there's  only  on©  time,  and 
•■one   hour^  to  dig   money,  and  that  time   is  mid-' 
night,  and  the  hour  twelve  sharp*    If  we're  going 
to  dig  for  a  pot  of  money,^e'll  havd  to  do  it  up 
in  proper  shape." 

"  Nonsense,"  said  Bruce,  who,  still  spoke  in  a 
rather  anxious  tone.  "  What  are  you  talking  about  ? 
Early  morning  islhe  time.'^ 

"  Early  morning !  "  said  Bart ;  "  why,  man  aliv?., 
we'll  want  several  hours,  and  it'll  be  early  morning 
before  we're  done.  If  we  begin  at  early  morning 
we  can't  do  anything.  Some  of  the  fellows  are 
always  up  here  before  breakfast.  No  !  From  mid- 
night to  cock-crow ,  that's  the  orthodox  time.  Be- 
sides," added  Bart,  mysteriously,  "  there  are  cer- 
tain ceremonies  we'll  have  to  perform,  that  can  only 
take  place  at  night."  '      '' 

"Nonsense!"  said  Bruce;  "let's  tell  the  other 
fellows,  and  we'll  all  dig  together  in  b^oad  dav." 

"  Tell  the  other  fellows !  What  in  the  AvbBd  do 
you  mean?"  cried  Ba|J.  "Bruce  Rawdon,  are 
you  crazy  ? '/ 

•      V     . 


sen. 


\\ 


^'^.  iJ  .  .jM/Mj^iji,  ^'.'^\.^a..'t.'.i%-AU^-. ..-^^.jt^j 


/ 


TREPABATIONS. 


39 


No  I    Bruc6  Rawdon  was  not  crazv     TT« 

heart  aa  ever  beat  wifh  xvhinU  +  /•         ''°"^  * 

dangers  and  mMCnel^::^ ^  Z  T'  .'i!'"^ 
n,,„,l„j  •  t ,.  „  -^7  enemies ,  but  his  stout  heart 

he  ^t  that  t/r'^"^"'  '^^'^^  »^  tl'o  invisible.; Yet 
he  saw  that  thSre  was  no  help  for  it,  and  that  h„ 

would  have  to  choose  the  midnight  hlur     I    u 

very  bojdi,  made  up  his  mind  "l^fat"^,,,!;: 

te^rs  the  enterprise  might  have  in  stire. 

tne   iJ.  o.  W.  C  _  must  do  it.    It  wjuld  be  di»     - 
honor  to  »vite  the  other  boys.    This  bf  ngs  to  us 
We're  a  secret  and  mystic  order.    We -1  „f ver  yet 
had  anything  iu  particular  to  do      N  J,,  Zl/         ' 
and  here's  our  chance.    We're  b  un^  t1  get    t  ^^1    ■  ' 
pot  of  gold.    The  captai-h,  of  course,  1ft  be  ,^h     ' 
us,  and  one  other  only  th.at  ,..  „i.j  oT  ■ 

Grand  P=v,;„  J         ,"•''   '™t 'sold  Solomon.    Aa 
Grand  Paujandrum,  he  must  be  here,  and  share  our^^'.  ■ 

Z  ^T  ^^^ '"  e^^^Po-J^'-"  ^id  Arthur.    "  I  sud. 
pose  Sofcmon  can  manage  that "  ^ 

"Spades?"  said  Bart;  « I  should  th  nk  so  and 
fifty  other  things.    We  must  have  Utr    Cn     ' 
have^^tom^earowofthemaroundthS*geof'?he        ■ 
wiii  d,;7  of  them  ?  "  said  Phil  ' '<  Noi^sense  I   Two      . 

_"^K,^said  Bart.  ''You  must  always  have  a  roW    • 
of.buming  lamps  around  whenever  you  5ie7oT 


''^ 


.   Jifc .  ,1*    *■ 


40 


THE  BOYS  OP  GRAND  PR6  SCHOOL. 


money.     They  must  be  kept  burning  too.     One  of 
US"  must  watch  the  lamps ;   wde  to  -us  if  any  one' 
of  them  should  go  out  I    You  see  it  isn't  an  ordi- 
nary work.     It's  magic !      Digging  up  a  pot  of 
gold  must  be  done  carefully.    Every  buried  pot 
of  gold  can  only  be  got  up  according  to  a  regu- 
lar fashion.     I've  got  a  book  that  tells  all  about 
it  — how  many  lights,  how  many  spades,  the  prop- 
er time,  and  all  that.      Above  all,  we'll  have  to 
remember  to  keep  as  silent  as  death  when  we're 
working,  and  never  speak  one  word.     Why,'  I've 
heard  of  cases  where  they  touched  the   pot  of 
gold,  and  just  because  they  made  a  sort  of  cry  of 
surprise,  the  pot  at  once  sunk  down  ever  so  much  ' 
farther.     And  so  they  had  to  do  it  all  over  again." 
Did  Bart  believe  all  this  nonsense  that  he  waa 
talking  ?    It  is  very  difficult  to  say.     He  was  not  at 
all  superstitious ;  that'  is  to  say,  his  fancies  never 
affected  his  actual  life.     He  would  walk  through  a 
graveyard  at  midnight  as^-eadily  as  he  woul^go 
along  a  road.     At  the   same  time  his  brain  con- 
tained such  an  odd  jumble  of  wild  fancies,  and  his 
imagination  was  so  vivid,  that  his  ordinary  common 
sense  was  lost  sight  of.    He  could  follow  the  lead- 
ings of  a  very  vivid  imagination  to  the  most  absurd 
extent.     If  he  had  been  really,  in  his  heart,  su- 
perstitious, he  would  have  shrunk  from  the  ter- 
rors of   this  enterprise..    But  his  real  faith  was 
^ot  ouneemett  at  all.     H9  was  playing  —  very 
earnestly  indeed,  and  with  immense  excitement, 


\'> 


■^^'^'^ 


-J^ 


MIDNIGHT  MAGIC. 


41 

yet  stillhe  was  only  plarinp-     nf^-     -     .. 

just  as  be  had  heenXl7Ty^^-^'''^^'''^'''''y' 

a  Pimte.     He  was  qui  ^ef d  v  '?^f ''  ''^'^■*'  ^^ 

rest,  also,  were  very  miiph  (i,^  ^''® 

Brace.  He  alone  looked  upon 'r'  ^^f'^^^Pt 
^"-et,,.  but  he  fought  dorhis  tar  b:t'  ?* 
Qf  pure  courage.     -  -^  ^"  ^^"^^^ 

It  was  only  imagination,  then  •  bnt  «t;ii        .    ^ 

though  it  were  so  ^  '''''"'''"J  ''  »« 

It  up  by  accidfinf  ^<-  "  we  had  dug    ^ 

^thout'a^yr  uble  Tu"rt7'  T"  '"'^^  «°*'' 
■n^gic,  and  must  be  ga.Wd  b!  th  r '^'^^''''^ '"^ 
I've  got  that  Book  oS'o  !r!l  ^'  "^  "'^^'''^ 
»il  about  it  LiJ,^.^^  ^  "  ''"°"''  """J  "  t«U8 
pie  of  three,  o^  at  n  "S  '°  °"'"'^-  -^  ■"»■«■ 
Our  number  insidt^L  "^  "^^io  numbers. 

That's  one  rZt^rZZ  oT  S  7'"  "^  ^^^''- 
have  to  keen  «;i.„*      /  "^  Solomon.    We'U  ■    ' 

not  begin  tiS  ml'i2  ""^  '^^  *  ""'^-    ^«  -"«' 


it  V  "ft  ^ii'^A-i', '  \^\  ,      -,'Sitt».^  ■^  — 


42 


THE  BOYS  OP  OBAND  Pr6  SCHOOL. 


be  the  last  night  of  the  holidays,  and  was  more 
convenient  than  any  other.  Captain  Corbet  was  to 
meet  them  with  his  rod  and  a  spade.  They  were 
to  come  up  with  old  Solomon,  and  all  the  other 
requisites. 

With  these  arrai^ements  they  parted  solemnly 
from  Captain  Corbet,  and  went  back  to  the  Acado:. 
my,  bowed  down  by  the  burden  of  a  most  tremen-  ' 
dous  secret. 


J 


./'  . 


,.\.v 


A   DEED   OP  DAfeKNESS. 


43 


III. 


S 


^j>eedof  Bareness.  -  The  Mone^j^iggers.  -  m 
d.m  Fo^^tj^d  the  Midnight  SceneLlncanta. 

Hon       mf/':'  fr '''''''  '^"^  ^^">  ^^^rup. 


M 


n. 


*!,;  1  ,■  ,■  ^^  prepared  themselves  for 
in  .K  *''^  task  before  them.  They  were  arrayed 
m  the  well-worn  and  rather  muddy  olothet  In 
wh.oh  they  had  made  their  memo^blo  exped." 

roffice     ne  ""  "'t  *''^'"'  ''^^"^ '"  "-  -t« 

.*paif^=crisrt:t 

Th.8  had,  at  length,  been  remedied  by  Z^  o/ 

^  irt Tw^^r  b"^  "  f  P-'"^"-  somethingtf 
-™i  sort,  rtrwonld  be  prdleeted  fSrnlhT^nd 

toZI   r\r  P'°"<'«-1  ^ith  matches,  Lltt 
todle  the  hght  at  once  if  it  ehouJTbe  bbwn  out" 


S^&u^i'"*1f  '(1-LV    ■ 


44 


THE  BOYS  OP  GRAND  PR6  SCHOOL. 


and  Bapt  tried,  in  the  most  solemn  manner,  to  im- 
press/upon him  the  necessity  of  watchfulness.  It 
was  Solomon's  duty  to  watch  the  lights,  and  noth- 

«.  ing  ielse ;  the  others  were  to  dig.     Besides  the 

pails,  pots,  lanterns,  candlesticks,  and  tin  kettles, 
they  carried  a  pickaxe,  four  spades,  and  the  Bust, 
—  which  last  was  taken  in  order  to  add  still  more 

.  4  to  the  solemnitJy^  of  the  occasion,  —  and  after  dis- 
tributing this  niiscellaneous  load  as  equally  as  pos- 
Bi\M  ampn^  th^  multitude,  they  at  length  set  out. 

/  The  Academy  was  all  silent,  ancjl  all  were  hushed 

in  the  depths  of  slumber ;  so  they  were  able  .to 
steal  forth  unobserved,  and  make  their  way  to  the 
"  Old  French  Orchard." 

The  night  was  quite  dark,  and  as  they  walked 
up  the  hill,  the  scene  was  one  of  deep  impressive- 
ness.  Overhead  the  sky  was  overcast,  and  a  fresh 
breeze,  which  was  blowing,  carried  the  thick  clouds 
onward  fast  through  the  sky.  The  moon  was  shin- 
ing ;,  but  the  dense  clouds,  as  they  drove  past,  ob- 
scured it  at  time^;  and  the  darkness  that  arose 
from  this  obscurity  was  succeeded  by  a  brighter 
'  light  as  the  moon  now  and  then  shone  forth.  Be- 
fore them  rose  the  solemn  outline  of  the  dark 
forest,  gloocay  and  sileiit,  and  the  stillness  that 
reigned  there  was  not  broken  by  a  single  sound. 

After  walking  some  distance,  they  stopped,  partly 
to  rest,  and  partly  to  see  if  they  were  followed. 


As  they  turned,  they  beEelJTeneath  th/em  a  scene 
equally  solemn,  apd  ^f  gran4^.    Immediately  be- 


M 


'        .  THE  MON^-DIGGEKS.  45 

|ow  lay  the  dark  outline  Vthe  Academy,  ancV 

right  extended  the  wide  plains,  n^  almost  lost  to 
view  m  the  gloom  of  night;  oh  the  l^ft  the  Com- 
wa  hs  River  went  winding  afar,  its  bed  full   its 
waters  smooth  and  gleaming  white  amid  the  bl'ack- 
ness  that  bordered  it  on  either  side.    Overhead 
the  sky  arose,  covered  over  with  its  wildly-drift- 
mg  clouds,  bet^en  which  the  moon  seemed  strug- 
ghng  to  shine  forth.     Beneath  lay  the  dark  face  of 
the  Basin  of  Mmas,  which  faded  away  into  the 
dimness  of  the  opposite  shore,  while  immediately  in 
Iront  -now,  as  always,  the  centre  of  the  scene  - 
jese  Blomidon,  black,  frowning,  sombre,  as  though 
this  were  the  very  centre  from  which  emanated  !li 
the  shadows  of  the  night. 

whl  V^'  ""^  1  '^'  ^^  '^'^  ^''  ^^P^i°  Corbet, 
who  had  a  spade  on  his  shoulder.  ' 

"  It's  rayther  dark  "  sairl  ha  ,v  « 
"Ff  VA    u         ^     '  ®'  ^^  *  pensive  tone. 

poTedl"         ''  "  ""^  *"  "^  ^"-^I'"  P"^''  , 

rlrfh       ^t^-'-tJ-rt  this  way.    ik  the 

proper  thing     Tou  see,  if  it  were  moonlight,  we'd 

.be  discovered;  but  this  darkness  hides  us.    The 

T"^  ^^  °"'  """^  ""^  *''""'  J-^t  ^■""•gh  to  make 
yi^ess  agreeable.    This  is  just  the  way  it 


.They  mored  on  in  silence  towards  the  spot. 
HWj)n  three  sides,  the  forest  encircled  them; 


,  !^.' 


'f^v 


.  .',!&. 


-f^> 


46 


THE  BOYS. OP  GBAND  PR6  SCHOOL. 


below  them  was  the  deep,  dark  gully;  and  the 
shadows  of  the  forest  were  so  heavy,  that  nothing  ^» 
could  be  distinguished  at  a  distance.  Captain 
Corbet,  usually  talkative,  was  now  silent  and  pen- 
sive, and  uttered  an  occasional  sigh.  As  for  Solo- 
mon, he  did  hot  say  one  word.  The  whole  party 
stood  for  a  moment  in  silence,  looking  inta  the 
;      cellar,, 

"  Come,  boys,"  said  Bart,  at  length,  «  hurry  up. 
The  first  ^hing  we've  got  to  do  is  to  make  the 
^     arrangements.     We  must  arrange  the  lamps." 

Saying  this,  they  a^  proceeded  ^  put  down  their 
lanterns,  pots,  kettles,  pails,  andlbaskets,  around 
the  cellar,  so  as  to  encircle  itj.  Inside  each  of  the 
pots,  Kettles;  pails,  and  ba^lisj^  candle  was  out,' 
while  the  Bust  was  plac^anhe  end  of  the  cellar 
:  nearest  the  wood.  »> 

'^       "Now,"  said  Bart,'xlet's  all  go  into  the  cellar, 
and  Solomon  will  light  the  candles." 
They  went  into  the  cellar ;  but  Solomon  showed 
iiL.^  ™"^^  clumsin^e  in  lighting  them,  that  Bart  had 
Pl't«  do  it.     This  y^a  soon  accomplished.     The  sur- 
rounding forest  sheltered  them  from  the  wind,  and 
the  lights  did.,  not  flicker  very  much,  except  at 
times  when  an  occasional  puff  stronger  than  usual 
wotild  be  felt.     Once  a  light  was  blown  out;  but^ 
Bart  lighted  it  again,  and  then  they  all  burned 
very  well. 


-9 r- 


^o  there  they  stood,  in  the  ceUar,  with  the  circle 
of  lights  around  them,  under  a  dark  sky,  at  the 
midnight  hour. 


'  \\ 


ft 


f§^^m 


THE  MIDNIGHT  SCENE.  j  ^j 

"  Solemn  I "  said  Bart  •  «  «f  « 

baby  just  nL  "  ^  ' '        ^  ^"'^    "«"«••  ""ind  the 

orter  jine  the  infant."  '  '    ^'  ^^'^"^^  ^'^ 

"0,  never  mind  your  feelings."  said  Rarf    «tt 
jou  got  your  mineral  rod?"         "^'^^^^t-   "Have    ^ 
"Ihev." 

"Very  well;  try  it." 
"I'd  rayther  not.    P_I_    r„„u  „ 
pone  this  here  ?    It^s  so  solemn  1 "  '  ^^  ^"'^ 

fXrit\^-:;7'?if„r;'^''''"'''-"^^ 

Postpone  it  I    And  vm7      !     .     '""^  °^>'«"r  baby. 
AinCorhrarre^tf.^^^^-"-'"' 

and  hf  Set ,t'  i:''J"'^^""™-'•"'able  here , » 
ami  rod."  ^-      "^""^ !  'fy  the  min- 

it  ™  h^'we^'.^'b^.^i  t  r-  ■»"  '--^  *»  "^'anc, 
«Me  fell  toT' .  !^^.'^''  '""^  *^'"°'"«<'  «<>  that  if  .f 


r-^ 


•M 


I: 


T 


-OneefelltofegfoTCr 
•'anding,tSeV2"''rii^'"-    ^« '"«» "«» 


48 


THE  BOYS  OP  GRAND  PIl6  SCHOOL. 


I    V 


"Not  a  bit  of  doubt  about  it!"  cried  Phil. 
"  There  it  goes  again  I    Come,  let's  ro  to  work 
boys."  ' 

"But  we  must  have  some  ceremonies,"  said 
Bart.  "  It  would  never  do  to  begin  to  dig  without 
Bomething." 

"  So  1:  say,"  remarked  Captain  Corbet,  feebly. 

Meanwhile  Solomon  had  been  standing  in  his 
robes,  a  little  apart,  looking  nervously  around. 

"  Hallo,  Solomon  I "  cried  Bart. 

Solomon  gave  a  start. 

«  Ya  —  ya  —  yas,  sr." 

"  You're  not  watching  the  lights." 

"Ya  — yasr." 

"  That  basket  has  fallen." 

"  Ya,  yasr,"  said  Solomon,  whose  teeth  seemed 
to  be  chattering,  and  who  seemed  quite  out  of  his 
senses. 

Bart  walked  up  to  him,  and  saw  at  a  glanco  bow 
it  was. 

"  Why,  old  Solomon,"  said  he,  gently,  « you're 
not  frightened  —  are  you  ?  It's  only  our  nonsense  ■ 
Come,  Grand  Panjandrum,  don't  take  it  in  earnest.' 
It's  all  humbug,  you  know,"  ho  added,  dropping 
his  voice.  "  Between  you  and  me,  we  none  of  us 
take  it  in  earnest.  Come,  you  keep  the  lamp^ 
burning^  and  be  the  Grand  Panjandrum." 

At  this  a  little  of  Solomon's  confidence  was 


restored.  -  He  ventured  to  the  edge  of  the  cellai^ 
and  lifted  up  the  basket  in  time  to  save  it  from' 


irii'i^.  .^^gu-JiLi^id^nj^J^ilffy 


41 

INCANTATIONS.  i  .« 

I  49 

monies,  were  toAwfuI.  '  f  ™^^'°  ^^^®- 

"  Come,"  said  Tom  "loVoh^  •    J 
,     J'ap'ain  Corbet  ga;eiX^a«^ 

if  I'd  Up  be  ^"'""^  happened;  I  feel  ^^ 

faow.  ,  Come,  leeTLf  ^^  ^'  "-^  '^'^'  y«° 
going  tb  begin."  ^'    "  **"  "^--omonies  are 

-la*.   We  don't  ronhat-fwHT   '''^^"'■"' 
will  happen:  so  let's  dl'fl  **  ''^'■'''  <"■  «''"»' 

moniW'  °° '  '"*"«  «7  ieathen  cere- 

the  most  so  ematnlu!"  "I*:  '"  ''""""*«<"'  « 
»».  boys,  begin."       ^    ^'  """  ^*  "'«'  thi"k  of ; 

m'^^U^'T^u^'"^  **'  I'  ""n  think  of" 
'^e  ojfe  to^Z^^f"  oommodUi^  as  the  natives     ! 


^ 


50 


JpE  BOYS  OP  GRAND  PR^  BCpOOL. 


'    * 


•  The  most  solefon  thing,  to  me,"  said  Tom,  « is 
Euchd."    And  thow  ho  added  in  the  same  tone, 

"2%e  square  described  on  the  hypothenuse  of  a 
right-angled  triangle  is  equal  to  the  mm  of  the 
squares  described  on  the  oth&r  two  sides  ofiJiescmer 

"  And  I,"  said  Arthur,  "  find  Arnold's  Latin  Ey- 
.  ercises  the  worst.  The  most  solemn  thing  for  an 
invocation  is,  — . 

"  In  temjporibus  Giceronis  GalU  retinuerunt  bar- 
Oaram    consuetudinem    excercendcs-    virtutis    omni 
'Occasione.    Balbus  cedificabatmurwnlP 

"I,"  said  Bruce,  "have  something,  far  more 
solemn."  And  stretching  out  his  hand,  he  said,  in 
a  loud^  firm  voiq^  —  1 

.  "Dignus,  indignus,  contentus,  pra^ditus,  captus, 
nndfretus,  also  natus,  satus,  ortus,  cditus,  and  the 
like,  govern  the  -^  hem  —  nominative  —  no  —  the  voc- 
ative —  no—  the  ablative  —  all  the  safne." 

"For  my  part,"  said  Bart, ,"  the  most  solemn 
thing,  to  me,  is  Csesar.  The  way  they  teach  it 
here  makes  it  a  concentration  of  all  the  worst 
horrors  of  the  Grammar,  and  Arnold,  and  History, 
with  the  additional  horrors  of  an  exact  translation' 
O,  brethren  of  the  '  B.  0.  W.  C.,'  won't  you  join 
.  with  me  in  saying,  — 

"  Gallia  est  omnis  divisa  in  partes  tree,  quarum 
unam  incolunt  Belgm,  aliam  Aquitani,  tertiam,  qui 
ipaorum  lingua  Gelt(B,  nostra  Galli  appdlantur:  Hi 
omnea  lingua,  institutis,  legibus,  inter  s^  difemnf 
UcUloa  ab  AquUania  Garumna." 


n  ■ 


'ij- 


^  I     \     *  3 


4 


INCANTATIONS. 


.heathen  stufff  Do  ye  mean  to  t  ItL"  few"' 
young  sirs  1  Jt's  dangerous  I  'TainVtf  f?'"; 
hero,  at  midnight,  ovfr  a  wTa  -  t    f^ 

•  jabber  French  at  him."  '  ^"^ 

■      "  Tir'  '  r  :."'  ^''■'-    "^''^  "<"  French ...•  ;  ^, 

hain't  got  no  business  with  sich  "  ^^ 

"  But  it's  I,atin,"  said  Bart  ' 

"Wuss  and  awss,".  said  Captain  Corbeti'    «f  ■ 

take  my  stand  by  ile  patriarchs,  the  prophet    J  ^ 
thepostles.   Did  they  jabber  Latn?  No  sir    -Tht! 
were  satisfied  with  good  honest  Engfoh     It  t^ 

PnlT'  1.     '  r  •     f  "*'"""'  occasion,  let  is  talk    ' 
Eng^h  or  forevertoer  hold  our  peaces.'  ^' 

WoU  what  shaU,  we  do?  "asked  Bart.        !  ■ 

"  Do  ?  "  said  Capdin  dorbet ;  "  why  do  som.li  • 
solemn.    I  should  like  -  "  he  ^ddedfir  .  'e? 

i^a  serf  iS'^^g^Slf  7^  Bart    ,  ' 


■U 


*  ■■'  'I 


'•J 


\  ''  ■ 


52 


THE  BOYS  J&P  GRAND.  PR^  SCHOOL. 


\  # 

"  B.  0.  W.  C."  It  was  sung  to  the  mournrul,  the 
^solemn,  the'  venerable,  and  the  very  appropriate 
^une,  kno^n  as  "  llousseau's  Dream." 

"  Why  did  we  deprive  the  Prencliman  t 

Of  his  lands  against  his  will, 
Take  possession  of  his  marsjtfes^. 
Raise  a  school-house  on  the  hill? 

—  "  Twas  a  foolish  self-deceiving 

By  such  tricks  to  hope  for  gain; 
All  that  ever  comes  by  thieving 
Turns  to  sorrow,  care,  and  pain. 

'*  Ours  is  now  the  retribution ; 

See  the  fate  that  falls  on  us  —  -  ' 

Awful  tasks  in  Greek  and  Latin,  * 

Algebra,  and  Calculus  1 

"  Yet  for  all  the  tribulation 

Which  the  morrow  must  behold, 
We  may  find  alleviatiou 
In  the  Frenchman's  pot  of  gold  I " 

The  wailing  notes  of  the  tune  rose  up  into  the 
dark  night,  and  the  tones,  as  they  were  dolefully 
droned  out  by  the  «  B.  0.  W.  C,"  died  away  in  the 
dim  forest  around. 
.    Captain  Corbet  gave  a  long  sigh  as  they  ended. 

*"  Solemner  and  solemner  I "  hei  slowly  ejaculated. 
"  I  wish  the  biz  was  over." 

«  Well,"  said  Bart,  "  the  way  ti  have  it  over  is    ' 
to  begin  as  soon a£l possible.    But  rGmcmber-thi^^- 


aU  of  you :  after  the  first  stroke  of  spade  or  pickaxe,' 


.  i 


'  ■»  f   s' 


^l-h  READY. 


53 


not  a.word  must  be  sDokfin  «^* 
one ;  „„  matter  what  2;  hapln  „:  Z f  V"' 
surprised,  astonished  terrified T '  -e  T^"  J"'* 
or  scarified  ,ve  may  be  Mum°''''*f ''''"^'"''^''' 
other  word  wiM  brelct  s^  a^'/C^'T^ 
are  wo  ?  And  von  «?nln«,         .V  *^®°'  ^^^^e 

.ou  dare  tttTn;'otth  r^fo:  ^'If  ^^^  Y' 
your  life,  keep  them  goin^  \h  ,?  ^""^^'"o 
tin  Icettlein  the  comer    tl  „  I      f ' '"""'  "'** 

flaringawayata  rere^dou:;;  'a'^A'"?  f' 
the  baskets  UDsef     IT.  -^""^  ''°»  *  'et 

«  Ta  -!  yasr  "  L?  c  1  ^""  ^"^  ^""^  ""*''•'««  ?  "  ■ 

now  chattfri'g  ai'  1°'?°;;'  T'r  ^^^^  --» 

horror  at-thrfoSht  whicb  f ' '"*  "«» 
'to  watch.  ^       ™''''  ""^  "as  ordered 

*va], '  said  Captain  Corhpf  ,'«  „  r  •  ^      . 

•noantatiqns?    Whv  r«,,f-    1?  ,"*'**'■  <"»• 

tbink  oftythiJVrkind"    W     '""''* ^"-    - 
It's  a  mystio  number     v!         1    ^*  "^  '«"«»• 

C^tin  CorbeUea  Jirr  ''^^  "'*  "'•" 


--^^^^iJ^rtV^^yTbLn     St-  ^ 
the  eteth,  and  we'U  aU  dig  ^fT     .f  "/^ 

•troke,  remember  -  „ot  one  word  1 "         """  ^ 


•  n-. 


,.it^  -_,  »     .'..ifi,;- 


■■<?2tt; 


64 


THE  BOYS  OP  GBiiNDPBt  SCHOOL. 


j   Brace  then  seized  the  piotee  with  nervous 
energy  and  raising  it,  he  hurled  it  into  the  g^o7nd 
As  ,t  struck,  Solomon  shuddered,  and  clasoed  hi, 

wiHly  around.    Again*.and  again  Bruce  wielded 
the  p.ckaKe,  dashing  it  into  the  earth  with^wer 
ful  blows,  and  then  wrenching  it  so  as  to  L  un 

length  he  had  loosened'  the  earth  all  i^bout  andt 

and  the  other  boys  went  to  work  with  their  soade/ 
Bruce  waited  for  «  little  tin,e,  and  theMrSng 
the  p,ckaxe,  he  seized  a  spade,  and  plunged  i?i  Z 
the  ground,  and.  rapidly  threw  up  the  soil,  doW 
as  much  work  as  any  two  of  the  others  ^ 

■For  some  time  they  worked  thus.    The  silence 
w^s  profound,  being  only  broken  by  the  clash  of    ~ 
the  spade«  agamst  the  stones,  and  the  hard  breath. 

earth  that  had  been  loosened  by  Bruce,  and  the 
hard  soil  began  to  present  an  insuperable  barrier 
to  the  progress  of  the  spades.  Seeing  this,  Bruce 
seized  the  pickaxe  once  more,  and  again  hurled  it 
with  vigorous  blows  into  the  ground,  loosening  the 
earth  all  around.  At  last,  as  he  flung  it  down  with 
all  his  force  ,t  struck  against  something  which 
gave^^o  peculiar  a  sound  that  the  boys  all  started, 

rt^r   ™^*e  *m  moonTrgP7?acinr^Tg  tole^ 

the  face  of  the  other.    Brg^^topped  for  an  instant,      ' 


*  / 


■  ■*■■  W.-  /\y- 
I 


THE  EXCITEMENT.  ,.. 

struck  that  hard  sXr        '"^  M«-    Again  it 
again  there  wa    that  n^r  """''  V"""'  ■»<» 
sound  thai  could  ul'teSakl'^r  "  "^'  " 
a. sound  as  would  be  gTen  bT .    7'^""" '"^'' 
stick  of  timber;  it  was  lomifV       ''°''<9^  ^^  •> , 
.    It  was  hard,  ml?    """^^'"f  ^^--^  different. 

eoundstruckuponth'T        i";'    >^  "'that 
there  was  but  one  thoLr  °«  "","^-  ^-  ^^-  «'' 
simultaneouslytoth;  f  /   J'''°sht  wMch  came 
that  Bruce's    ptka.e Td    of  all-, he  though* 
,   treasure.    But    le  It     f    T''^''    *«   •^"'^d 
'  their  in.agi„atU!\rL"Jj:     fiTd  "^^^^  *° 
and  it  was  against  thi,  ;.       u       ^"^'^  "*''*  ooin, 
had  struck,  Sd       va   T  "'"'''  *^'  '""^  P-^a-e 
given  forth  the  solnd!  ""°''  «''^^' -'"oh  had 

Yet  80  schooled  wero  fllxr        j  . 
,  •  -ocess,  that  even  riX  "  "^^t^r"  "'"■' 
tjon  could  not  make  them  C  the-;  '",f  *  '""^'^ 
sJence.    Not  one  word  X  !    i        ''"^™Posed 

■t%  thought,  hut  th^^difc         ■^^^>       ■ 

forward  toUintetafk     B  *"'  °"'^".-«''«d  •    • 
spade  was  plunged^et  i;i>.  ,?"',  ""*'  ^^'t''  h"  '' 
fiight  ana  left  ft  t^I^f  t'f  '""'^^d  earth.      • 

7^  W^-pIung^i^'X   ^T^^^""^^^ 
^'ggmg  wildly  and  fnr;„n«l!       7  """^  '^^^ 

-'Mheire^tiontr^-tr:^^^^ 


■•S" 


fe- 


% 


56 


THE  BOYS  OP  GBAM)  VU  SCHOOL. 


■/ 


.        came  an  awful  interruption.  ™1<'enjy  there 

Tiioy  might  have  been  diKrin^  fi™  ,„;„  . 
an  hour;  they  could  never^TeU^xactr    .T' 

'^ei^  sucn^s  cannot  be  desorihAr?      o^i  , 

^toMwitrtrembling  framTa^dlatt^X:  ^ 
»  |>rey  to  superstitious  terror     To  «„i         't   I 
,.    l'^-o'»-tted  the  care  ofThe  liLteT^^ 
•i^bt  dare  to  venture  near  them      IT iJt        ^^^ 
fe  did  not  dare  even  look    t  tim     H  '"""^  \ 
Jxed  on  the  boys,  while  at  Zl  t.        ^^  """    ' 
-701.  fearfully  oveVth''!*  :^UneTtZ:T 

/       Such,  them;  was  the  situation       +t,^  1.        1 


y 


L.  , 

te  against 
^  pickaxe 
elieved  to 
»  the  full 
enly  there 

inutes,  or 
r.    After- 
3are(l  one 
Qe  to  any 
ost.    En- 
minutes 
Captain 
I  his  listl 
'  looking 
thoughts 
npn  also 
g^eth, 
3on  had 
b  he  did 
matter\ 
ize  was  ^ 
I  would 
Be  dim 


^^v 


t         V. 

3 


■< 


r 


-t 


:("■■:■{■ 


'«■' 


1    ' 


t9 


'»'•* 


K-te 


\/" 


*>■ ' 


t 


4 


,  -y^x 


\  t 


•5-    \ 


"  **■■ 


A  PEABPUL  ALiRlf. 


struck  the  mlJZ  :Ll'!!!'.fef  *»  ^-'f  "Pa^e. 

^lentioned,  -^ 

the  slight- 

frful,  a  terri. 

3n  a^riek 

fc,  so  hideous, 


Struck  the  metallic,  substance 
suddenly,  instantaneously  a 
est  waiping,  there  arose  a  si 
hie  uproar;  somftthing  midli 

nail  ot  the  hghty  extinguished,  and  amid  ihl 
gloom  they  could  perceive^wo  figures  Chfn.t 
mad  haste  away  from  the  spot  TLn"!  -i^ 
upon  thpm     nlf^         ""«  8^01.    A  panic  seiM 

yielded  to  its  influence.    They  sbra^  h:I\u^ 

Vf.  c.»  Academy.    So  fled  the  «  B.  0. 

KrBt  of  an  the  fugitives  was  Solo».»n 


loflg  beforTThiir^  frigEteued  out  of  Uk  wits 
%.-  '*"'""•   "*  spJte  ot  Bart's  assurances 


,...-J^U„-,,.y: 


y't 


.     /  /      // 


|v. 


58 


THE  BOYS  OP  GRAND  Pe6  SCHOOL. 


1^- 


Kg  ^ad  stood  a  trembling  spectator,  neglectful  of 
his:duty.     The  wind  had  blown  out  the  lights  one 
by  one. '  Far  from  lighting  them  again,  he  had  not 
even  watched  them.     Every  moment  his  fear  had 
increased,  until  at  last  his    limbs  were    almost 
paralyzed  wjth  terror.     But  at  length,  when  that 
awful  roar  had  arisen,  his  stupor  was  dispelled. 
An   overmastering  horror  had   seized  him.     He 
burst  through  the  liA  of  lights  ;.he  fled  across  the 
field  ;  he  ran,  with  his  official  robds  streaming  be- 
hind him,  towards   the  Academy.     Oflf  went  his 
hat :  he  heedeci  it  not ;  he  kept  on  his  way.     He 
reached  the    door   of  the  house ;    he    burst    in. 
Up   the    stairs,   and    up   another  flight,  and    up 
another  flight,  and  yet  another  — so  he  ran,  until 
at  last  he   reached    his    room.      Arriving    here, 
ho  banged  to  the  door,  and  moved  his  bedstead 
.  against  it,   and   heaped    upon   the   bedstead   his 
trunk,  his  chairs,  his  table,  his  looking-glass,  his 
boots,  his  washstand,  and  ^every  movable  in  the 
room.     Then  tearing  off  the  bedclothes,  he  rolled 
himself   up   in  them,  '^d  crouching  down  in  » 
corner  of  the  room,   he  lay  there  sleepless  and 
trembling  till  daybrealf.  .         .  ^ 

Nor  was  S(*)mon  the  only  fugitive.   Scarcely  had 
he   bounded   away  in  his  headlong  flight  before   - 
Captain  Coriit,  with  a  cry  of  "  0,  my  babby  I " 
jlunged  after  him,  A-ough  the -line  of  light.H  into 
the  gloom  that^urMunded  the  ill-omened  spot** 
And  tl8re,over  that|baGk  which  saw  the  college 


i^ 


m 


% 


A  CONSULTATION.  '  59 

gown  of  Solomon  and  the  coat  tails  of  Captain 
Corbet^  streammg  in  the  wind,  there,  fast  and  far 

1«f;       <;  ■  ^°  ™''   '''■'''  ^°<'  ^to  came 

last  matters  not.  I  eertainly  will  never  tell. 
Enough  ,s  It  for  me  to  say  that  they  BAN  I  Such 
18  the  power  of  Panic. 

Gre^t,  however,  as  was  that  panic,  it  did  not  last 
ong;  and  by  the  time  they  reached  the  edge  of 
the  playground  on  the  crest  of  the  hill,  they  all  ' 

tZtL       I"  ,   '^  ''"'"'  '"  eilenc*  tor  some 
t.me,  lookmg  back  at  the  place  frota  which  they 

flickerLg:  ""^  "  '7  "S'^*^  ^^«'«  ^"« 

^  And  there  was  one  great  question  in  all  their 

What  was  It?  - 

kept"'si!ent.'"'"  "'  ""'■"  "°"'''  *""''""'  ~  ^^  all 
That  silence  was  at  last  broken  by  Bart. 
Well,  boys,"  said  he,  «  what  are  we  goine  to 
do  now?.    Our  shovels  and  lights  are  thefeTfnd 
worst  of  all,  our  palladium  -  the  bast.    Solomon 
has  gone,  and  Captain  Corbet;    but  we  still  re 

tZ7:'r  f '^'"  --^  now  what  shruwdo^ 


spoke.ana  silence  Mlowed.    Overhe^th^ 
^oon,ana  aU  around  rose  the  dim  forest  shaded 


"» 


^tft'J^t^v:^-  lim^,%.^fui^':' 


■tt* 


:* 


60 


THE  BOTSt  OP  GRAND   Pb6  SCHOOL. 


r 


In  front  flickered  and  twinkled  the  feeble,  fitfiil 
lights.  And  there,  by  those  lights,  was  That, 
whatever  it  was,  from  which  they  had  ^ed. 

"  Pit  tell  you  what  I'll  do,  at  any  rate,"  said 
Bruce,  in  a  harsh,  constrained  voice ;  "Til  go  back 
to  tf^t  hole,  if  I  die  for  it."  .  ' 

"  You  1 "  cried  Bart. 

"  Yes,"  said  Bruce,  standing  with  his  fists  close 
''clinched,  and  his  brow  darkly  frowning ;  "  yes,  I ; 
ou  fellows  may  come  or  stay,  just  as  you  like." 

A  man's  courage  must  be  measured  from  his 
own  idea  of  danger.  A  couple  of  hundred  years 
ago  many  acts  were  brave  which  to-day  are  com- 
monplace. To  defy  the  sfiperstitions  of  the  age 
may  be  a  wgn  of  ti-janscendent  courage.  Now,  of 
all  these  boys  Bruce  was  by  far  the  most  super- 
stitious; yet  he  was  the  first  who  offered  to  go 
back  to  face  llictt  from  which  they  had  all  fled.  It 
was  an  effort  of  pure  pluck.  It  was  a  grand  re- 
coil fronl  the  superstitious  timidity  of  his  weaker 
self.  Buoyed  up  by  his  lofty  pride  and  sense  of 
shame,  he  crushed  down  the  fear  that  rose  within 
him,  and  his  very  superstition  made  his  act  all  the 
more  couraga^s.  And  as  he  spoke  those  last 
words,  before  the  others  had  time  to  say  anything 
in  reply,  he.turned  abruptly,  and  strode  back  with 
firm  steps  towards  the  Cellar.  So  he  stalked  off, 
steeling  jua  shaking  nerves  and  rousing  up  the 


A 


rosouroes  of  his  lofty  nature.    By  that  victory 
over  the  flesh  he  grew  calmi  and  walked  steadily 


THET  BETUKN. 


/ 


A 


61 


back  mto  the  dark,  ready  to  enoonnt^^  any  dinger 

hat  m^ht  be  lingering  tffere_Z  e^JeZ 

.plend.d  courage  and  conquer  ^/er  fean     ^        ^ 

But  he  did  not  long  walk  %l4e.    Before  he  had 

token  a  do.en  steps  the  others  were  ^ZZ^  ^1 

ma  short  t.me  they  were  aU  in  the  holelZ^ 

mg,  and  ^art  joined  the  littfe-  knot  of  boys  who 

beforTus      m  :'  '''"*"'  "'^^  °^^  ^"««*^'on   is 
Deioreus  — What  ace  we  to  do  now?    C!h.?i 

stay  here  and  di>  or  shall  Z        i  "  '"^^ 

hpH  ?   F  ^'  ^®  ^^  ^orao  and  ffo  to 

-^r:;:h:-rsrhl^;:.t^^^^ 

not  to  do;  whatever  hapnensrJT'       '^'°"J'^ 
"  Tk«  /  A  •    ,.         "•^PPens,  1  won't  rim  aeain  " 

mg  about  digging  any  more  to-nieht     If  w^Aii 
very  weU  while  we  were  in  fh«  >  r       ^^ 

fon:  but  the  fnn  ^o  '""'''''•     ^<^  ^^s  all    - 

selves  What  1^^^^  ^T]  "^'^'^  ^^^^^^^^^  ^^r- 
but  irmJr  u  ''^^'  ^  ^°"'*  pretend  to  know  • 
g^^Ha^enatrick.   If  so,  we're  watchTd! 


here  wif']^'"  "  ""^"J'  '^"'^  ""^  "^  fe^f  mclined-lo  aig 
^ere  with  some  of  the  other  fellows  gigdin^  at  i^ 
from  among  the  trees  "  »'gg"ng  at  u» 


L"x>., 


-ci^ 


62 


THE  BOYS   OP  GRAND  PR6  ,  SCHOOL; 


% 


I 


•  "It  may  have 'been  the  Gasp.ereaugians,"  said 

Suddenly  a  heavy  sigh  was  heard, '  not  for 
away; 

"  Hu-s-s-s-s-s-s-h  I '.'  said  Bart;  "what's  that?" 

"  That  ?    One  of  the  cows,"  sfid  Tom. 

"  I  tell  you, what  it  is,  boys,"  said  Phil^  «  some  of 
the  fellows  have  got  wind  of  our  plan,  and  have 
been  playing  this  trick  on  us.  If  so,  we'll  never 
hear  thejftnd  of  it."  ^ 

"  I'd  ratljer  have  our  fellows  do  it  than  the  Gas- 
pereaugians,"  said  Bart,  solemnly.  «  What  a  pity 
wo  didn't  think  of  this  before  we  began  !  We'd 
not  have,  been  taken  so  by  surprise.'' 

«  Wellf  said  Phil,  "I  believe  it  was  some  trick; 
but*  how  any  human  beings  could  contrive  to  make 
such  an  unearthly  noise,  such  a  mixture  of  thun- 
der, and  howling,  and  screeching,  I  cannot  for  the 
life  of  me  imagine." 

"  Still,"  said  Bruce,  "  it  may  not  have  been  a 
trick.  It  may  have  been  something  which  ought 
to  make  us  afraid." 

"  I  believe,"  said  Tom,  "  that  we'll  find  out  all 
about  it  yet.  Let  us  only  keep  dark,  say  nothing, 
and  keep  our  eyes  and  ears  open.  We'll  find  it 
out  some  time." 

"  Well,"  said  Arthur, "  I  suppose  we're  all  out  of 
the  humor  for  digging.  If  so,  suppose  we  smooth 
AViirtliis^  hole  ^  and  tb^i  we  can  take^^TtwayonEnr" 


lights  and  spades.     My  only  idea  in  coming  back 


I/'"'"  y,'"'^' 


■^jj,'" 


^ 


^■»«i«itMBiie!@tbsr' 


,  CAPTAIN  CORBET.  no 

,  ,';  .  DO 

digging.'^  ^   ^"*^  ^^'^'""y  all  traces  of  our 


was  filled  up.  ^Th  ;  XZ"'!      r"  ''"  '""^••• 
neatly  as  they  fcould   and  V     7  u  '""'''  ''  ^« 

■narksof  disturbance  vet  thi"^    *'"'  '"'■'  ^""^ 
uous  enough  to  exciti  Z\     7  '""■'  "<"  ^"•'^Pio- 

■^3  to  earry  ^ii^^J*^  '^  father  up  the  things  so 

■came  a  voice- out  oTthe  d!  ^  '^  ""'' ""^^^ 

.    shrill  voice,_avoi  e  „';  ^^^^  '^-S,  'oud, 

inquiry.  l^Amtul,  eager,  anxious 

" -l^-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-ys  1     n    hr. 

"It'<?  r-inf.v.V  n      ,  ■  '    "■^O-O-O-O-O-O-O.o-vs  '  " 

,  he  she  feft'lS^fiti'- "?,?»'•'•  "IJ^"-o:o.or. 
AH  sa-a-a-awe  C  "e^';"  '^"^-"-'^ '— rel 
Ho  stopped  Bhoutinrthet'lliT'r ' "  ' 
attentively.  Soon  they  ZTrktlt^^  ""  "''™'='' 
■ng-and  before  ionff  th.v  .       '^°'^'«Ps  approach- 

gloom  the  fan>iliar|rLrnn'^''^"«  '""^  '^<^ 
of  Captain  Corbet.  Ca  ".''"""'"'  '■''^'"^■' 
«fter  giving  a  fur  ive  l„r  n    '°  ""°  *«  '«''«.  ''"d 

"So  you've  ben  a  f      t   '"■°''"^' ''" ^' - 
Wal,  wi,  wall"       ".  '""el""  of  i,>o„t,  a^vyouf 

lwp,dT''''"--'J^"tr"we  all  .n  as  fastis 
Ktatactilly?    Notl~       ^^«-    "^'"''anl 


)ti:i'^ti-i".,.' 


■  t- 


64 


THE  BOYS  Offf  GRAND  PB^tscp 

9u  >a- .  ^*    i-.2-k 


m 


*f^es,  we  all  ran  ;  l||,^8top|ft|t  tlSv«€g/of 
I  the  hill,  dhd  then,  se©%  nothi|[%V^  came  bi* 
^:^et  the. things.'^ K,4.-' ~  Ss'^-^t^ir    ' 


C^fbet,  « tEat^L  ,^^^^  .^ v 
ewly  j-ejiced  to  ^m  &i  yM 
tkcfs  me  not  so  '^shamed  o' 
frt  your  comeback,  I  do 
he  coiiiinued,  ^s^Eteoly,  «  a 
from  the  tombs  ^^^oleiul 
^'^^JP^  ^  *?]|t  it's  all  right  now.  Sence  yo^e  ben 
^^op^e^ujx  the  hole,  I  ain't  afeard  ai^|aore. 
^#Joy8/ ■— and  he  regarded  them  with  a  fi^  full 
of  ali|,  —  «  boys,-  let  that  vice  be  a  wamij^^  B^n't 
you  eter  go  a  diggin  any  more^it>r1i*  pot  of  gold. 
8^1  AJ^  tb}irTKari5i2*"iio^,"  and  forevennore. 


^Seehere,  and  "bar  Witness,  all.'' 

"^      paying  this  Captain  Corbet  took  his  mineral  rod 

;'    with  both  hands,  and  snapped  it  acr^s  his  knee  ; 

.y    then,  letting  the  fragments  fall  on  the  ground,  he 

''      put  his  feet  over  them.    ?  ■ 

■1%.     "  Th^r,  that's  done  1    I, got  that  thar  rod  from  a 

'    ,7'demon  in   human   form,"  he   said.    "It  was  old 

*  Zeke  ;  I  bought  it  from  him.    He  showed  me.  how 

to  use  it.     It  was  not  myself,  boys.     Old  Co|bet 

don't  want    monkey ;    it  was    the    babby.   mkki.  . 

.  pereshus  infant  demanded  my  parential  'c§ 

wapted  to  hea^jg)  wealth  for  his  s^l 

aU  over.    Thaajie  has  been  a  wai 

"Tdiggin  here,  1  JBeS^rt^.  the  babby  • 

vica^comoj  a  soundin  like  thunder  in 


t 


SA^E  AT    THE  ACADEMY. 


*t.  ; 


Mby,  and  leave  you  he°  '  ^°  '"  '»  "^e  mv 
back ,  an  h.te  we^^^  a^l  all  T"  ^"  '  -™- 
tie  infant's  safe  "to   h^!       '1"'  ^'  '"«'•    ^n 

tbarrown  like  dumb'^idols  to  fh      ^°t  ^'^  ^^ 
the  bats, -to  delude  mo  no  1  'f""'*  """J  '«<- 

-;an   thar  yon  hevTt m  "''^'■-    '"^- 
death  shall  us  part."         '  *°  ^  ""»»«  yours  tiU 

After  some  fur^liQw      * 
*^ diggers  gathered  up  airtr""*'""^*'  """^y 
"-Ipans,  and  spades   and  nt/"""'  ^-"^  J^^WH 
a-dhoes,  and  candles  and  if  ,"''  '"^  «''«»-«l» 
Bust.    These  they  bore  „      '™'' ""-^  «°^'7  the  . 
affectionate  adieu  to  Cal^*^\'"<*  '''''ding  an 
the  Academy,  andfO^^''  ""^^  ^«°'  ^ 
rooms  unobserved  """"^  .">  Caching  their 

-  there  any  i^erruXu  Xlr'^'  ^-'"''  -^ 


■     1^ 


-*t- 


'i 


^« 


&■(  » , 


H  ■  ■■ 


» 


% 


^  /  -sSk-i^ 


.  ■•*-. 


■^ 


66 


THE  BOYS  OF  GBAIO)  PR£  SCHOOL. 


>  •». 


*■'   Pwv-W 


IV 


T/ie  Wonders  of  the  upper  Air.  —  Mr.  Long  calls 
upon  the  Soys  for  Help.  —  AU  Hands  at  hard 

'Labor. —  Captain  Corbet  on  a  ^Fence.  —  The 
■  Antdqpe  comes  to  Chief.  —  Captain  Corbet  in 
-  the  Orasp  of  the  Law.  Mr.  Long  to  the  Rescue. 


\S   i 


^HE  next  morning  came.  It  was  a  glorious 
sunrise.  Nowhere  out  of  Italy,  I  think, 
can  be  geen  such  sunrises  and  sunsets  as 
those  of  Grand  Pr^.  And  you  may  see  all  t||it 
can  be  preseijted  by  even  Italy  in  every  part  of 
its  varied  outline  — on  the  plain,  on  the-mountain- 
.tpi),  .or  by  lilie  sea-side;  you  may  traverse  the 
,  Apennines,  or  wander  by  the  Mediterranean  shore, 
.  or  look  over,  the  waste  Campagna,  and  yet  never 
find  anything  that  can  surpass  those  atmospheric 
effects  which  may  be,  witnessed  along  the  shores 
that  surround  the  .Basin  of  Minas.  Here  may  be 
found  that  which  would  fill  the  soul  of  the  poet  or 
artist — the  dreamy  haze,  the  soft  and  vpljaptudus 
calm,  the  glory  of'thev  sunlit  sky,  the  terror  of  the 
Btonn,  the  majesty  ctfj^ant  olbud  maBses  plied  m^ 


•  ,       "OKNINO  GLOBffiS.  .  gy 

confusedly,  the  rainbow  tints  cast  by  the  ril. 
»ett,ng  sun  over  innumerable  clou<l^^  ^  " 

ease.     Above  the.id:    "oftrdTr.lh^ 
Imug  dense  exhalations  whipT,  I,  a  ™'"'® 

tl.r  night  from  the  dTfce  llt^S^"  ™en  through 
ing  to  be  dissipated  Thin  '"'^"'"'^  "S"'  wait- 
slumbrous  anT  dreamv  ,n  i'^  "f  ^"™'^^"'^  % 
above  it,  and  in  thrr,  ["  1>^«  ^Wch  rose 

the  Nor  h  Mo„l  f"  *''"  "^"^  »°"'°e  of 

,        ""^'P  JWountam  peered  obscurelv     Ti,„  i,      ]. 
bosom  of  the  Ba«,n  „f  w    "  , '^""^"ly.     Ihe  broad 

.;br,seenthi"^;!r:^^:^cu,ia.ting^ 

inrr:r£tr:-r-T-""^^^ 

scene,  as  much  Z  T  TT'  ""^  '"'""'^  »'"  ^^^ 
Minas  as  Vruviusi,  ?."'■■   "^  '^'  ^^^'^  »f 

f"«<J.l>rc,ect^ltf^5,^-^J^of 
iar  mto  the  Basin  w»,;i^  .,  "  ^*  ^^°as 

J'eap,  like  the  Ji  !•     /  H  "'*'"«»'  ""eap  over 
TiA  there  aro^ttr;"***^  ''^  *^«  ^'M^d'^. 

At  first  all  the  Bast  was  red  ;ani.„ver  the  land 


'X 


68 


,1 


li- 


GRAND  PR6  school. 


/ 
/ 


i^t,^ntfovertho  hazy  valley,  and  over  the  milt 
l^hite  pea,  there  came  a  duilgW^hich  made  the 
icene  resemble  some  pla^liPiiumaed  6y  the 
fSlf'7ir"^  conflagratipn.  But  the  moments 
P|^d  and  t!H3  sun  climbed  higher,  and  the  dull 
^  W  ^^*^^  /-^d  ^;hanged  to  a  more  vivid'hue.   The 
^^  of  that  rising  sun,  still  red,  yet  yivid,  and 
^netratmg,  and  more  and  ..more  luminous  as   it 
^me  above  the  clouds,   flung^itself  over  all  the 
IT'    I.       °^  "^^^"^'^  *^"^*  Btretched  over  the 

'  east  8Dr<^d  nP»-r^aa  +k^   „K„  i:i_      ,  „  -  -  '      .  "^    " 


a  J  —     '  PMtJiuaea  over  the 

.    east  spreSd  across  the  sky  Hte  bars  of  ruddy  gold. 
Afl»>e  Seemed  to  light  up  all  tho  land  misis  thrf 
--T*d-over  the  dikes  of  Grand  Prd.     A  luminous 
^! ^.TAi^T-"  """"'"  "^  Slory  ovej  CQwwallis. 
'it: .       ,      T  ^^  S^''^'^  *"  *'°»<«J  ^itii  a  bril. 
tout  pink,  and  the.  distant  shores,  once  dark  gray  , 

form  71,1"'^''''?'-^^  bocame  uurple.  |The 
form  of  Blomidon  changed'Aom  its  4n  hue  to  a 
deep  'ndigo,  mA^  t^||haze  over  its  ckst  had  th^ 

^^info  the  s%^  clouds  caught  thejnstre  of 
m  sunnse     T^shiimeretand  qulered,-as, 
blown  by  the  wi^,  they  rfflledjjag,  recei»«S^; 
ev^ry  moment  in  a  new  di^ct«ife ^  „f  t^' 

£™  ^^Z^""'  fro-^P^W^k  to  rftddiness,  and 
^m  ™dd.nesB  t«  rermiliarnlfroto  vermlfon  to 
«»  ,«tede  of  a  golden  l4re,  tiU  there  arose  be-   • 

r^r.  /n"."  ''«»P«*''P  '^^,  presenting  tho 
reahtyof  *U  that  has  ever  been  in..g.^ed  of  tho-_ 


mmmomiondi^d;^^^'^^^^ 


.    .j^  ^ri  ^..A  'im^ 


^N  ANXIOUS  BREAKFAST. 


^ 


69 
■Jeep  down  there  lay  a  rf„ll      j  , 

Wjicharo^a  oloud/uiU  Jl^U  oT^'r"""'   °" 
m-Iion,  aud  of  gold.  ^^^^'^  "^^  Pmk,  of  ver- 

'     But  all  these  passed     Th         n- 

iBomeDtary .    I„  «„  ;    jj^     ^«j;«  «ff«cts  were  only 

vanished,  leaving   onirtlr      -^^"^  "'^""^  had 

gr^w  gray,  th,  i,.^^^  faded  fnt'/h^  '"''  ■"'^'^ 
became  blue,  Blomidon  ohT  J'-  ®  ""-"*  ™rtace 
clouds  ab„v;.l„r^   thet^l  '°  "ark  olive,  the 

11".  a^d  at  lait,  is  thelfT"'  '"  "'«'«'?'' 
fel't,  it  shone  frUabL   I    "*""''  "  ^^^ 

-mits  cii^le  of  green  sL''  T"  "  "»«  '^a. 

aw*r.     _^  "^^  ""    '^"P'dly  harrying 

The  "  B^^  W  C  "  '  •     1  f 

breakfast table'thatmorZ     "'I ''""Pany  at  the ' 
weariness  and  exhllTio™  V  '■  T""^  ^'^"^  "^ 
f"e ;  they  hM  worked  too  Wd     .'  '''^"  "P  ""^      « 
tomed  labor ;  and  they  had  b7    '  ",  •  ""  "'"»'=<'"«-      ^ 
strong  exeitemeot.    Thel  «  T  ""'■"""  *°  »  very 
»»d  -one  of  their  sohooLT    "°""''^'  """^^'^^^ 
peculiar  about  then,    St'  """"^'^  *"y""»« 
learn  whethBl-^av  of  th»K       f '"' '^'"'y  a'"''»U8  to 
»  the  trick  w%h  thev  h.r   fi^'""  ^™««™cd 
"pen  them;  bufthe  pTrftt 2'  "'"  ''^''»  P'''^^'' 

^0  with  it    in  oltl  '"'i'"'«''"e  whatever  to 
order  fo  make  assurance  doubly 


,,'Ji^^ 


■■y\.:rA 


'«• 


■^' 


'  I'l 


70 


THE  BOYS  OP  OBASD  nt   SCHOOL. 


r^K  ^Y^**"'"^  separately  and  individually  with 
each  of  them,  so  as  to  see  if  there  were  Ch  fc 

^nfi™ed\h„       ■    '  ''™"  "^  """^  e'^aminatL 

htZi  TJ'^^  ""  """"'"ded  that  if  there  had 
been  a  trick,  none  of  the  boys  of  the  school  had 
anythinR  to  do  with  it     n„„  •    . """  "''" 

m«in«j      -u  ""  eonclusion  only  ro- 

mamed _,t  must  be  the  Gaspereaugians  i      ■ 

Nme  o  clock  was  the  hour  for  assembW  in  the 

class,roqm;  but  before  that   hour  Mr   W  at 

-peared  ,n  the  yard  of  the  Academy,  where  U"^ 

of  the  boys  were  gathered,  and  collected  together 

»1T  \    V"^  '""'"  ^"y"  •=""'<'  ««e  this,  and  they 

^1  jomed  the  throng,  till  at  length  every  boy  n 

the  place  had  assembled  there.  " 

ab^,t  tW  "'""'"".f '™'  '°°"  explained.  It  wa, 
about  that  stone  wall  which  he  had  caused  to  be 
appropriated  to  furnish  ballast  for  the  Antelope 
He  had  Aeard  that  the  owner  of  the  waU  had  been 
vowing  vengeance  during  their  absence,  and  w^s 
extremely  anxious  to  have  it  all  replaced.    But 

A«  the  farmers  about  were  hard  at  work  in  their 
fields,  and  all  the  seafaring  ,pen  had  gone  t 

fwkt"  J      ?""'*°''-    ^«  ''^'  *"««>'«  in  a  ve,T  __ 

Ur.  Porter,  and  with  his  consent  deteqnined  to  get  ■ 


-  ■■/  ■ 


■■./ 


'-/  / 


A  HOLIDAY  IJ^  PEOSPECT. 


'k 


71 

to  toko  them  aU  out  again  und'retface  ^    oT 
course  some  reward  wnnM  k         '^H"*^»  '^nem.    Of 

At  this  there  was  but  ono  rcsDnn«A     t*  .       ' 

i-ky  it  ,vaa  that  a1     he  1™  L"bf '  "'"' '    ^"^^ 
«t  work  and  all  *l,l       .  ^^"^^"^  "'e'o  hard 

What  a  ^11  td     r  '''"  "'^"'  S°«'™' 

potato,  whth td    hi  St-"  .f "'  ^'^^  *"» 

ohancetoearnholidlSfoXSesr's  T  "^^ 
,.boy»|  and  hurrah  aramlstn-^  „®°, '"""''''''' 
'    them?    Why   we'll  S       1        '™"'-    ^"'''1 

ho«d.v.,     ^""*"  '""'<'  "dozen  to  «„t.anm 


tdlidayal 


get_ 


•♦.  1 


72 


^  BOYS  OP  GEAm.  PUi:  SCHOOL. 


*■'  ^' 


cess  of  his  experiment.     Not  only  all  n>  fl,„  i  .     - 

vf,yageursabcompaniedhimtnr.4  V  .  '*** 

the  small  bays  also  T^  ?    Antelope,  but  all 

.  Whole, schr:-:*  ziz:;^Z' '" '-''' ^'^^  - 

fopething,  so  as  to  earn  hrhdidav   "T  *°  -^^ 
labor-jtwasafrolio     Itl    f      ^'    ^' '™^  ""t 

.  i' was  singular  to  stVlrt'li^thr^  '"' 
-  'f'  P'<"^''««d  won  the  «B.  0.  W  C  "    .rJ  ^'T 

they  had  been  wear.Vd  ^vi  /j  „  '"''''  ""' 
■  &ct,  used  w  b^tll     1  f''"^""'''''''  fogged  out;  in 

tremtodo„re;tLm ent    /^i'""'  e«rtions  and  the    . 
with  th*TosToTZ^^'^r''^'sht,  together    ' 

the  prospeTofmt  .rda   ''Z'-     ^"'  "o'^'  S*  ' 
selves;  "all  the  rl       ^        ^''  *'"'^  ""^'"1  'heiS:     - 
tbeV  feot  •  ^^'"^  '""'^  "'  f"™  ««ited:        ' 


Antel.^e  lay;  a^d  th  '  SsT^  t:'T'^' 

who  i«d  bt?:  J  :,f;jf  °-«'l,*««elder  b6ys,  • 

fused  crowd  of  am  Vff'"^' ft?  ^T 'V"  "^   ■ 
".ilitery  order-  exaetlv.'^ri.^^^w^.A"'';'"^^''.'"* 


".ilitery  order-  exaeiy  -Ckct 'Z    .  . '"'^'^  '»* 


*fff 


led,  they  wer©»80J 


other's  backs,  or  doin,-  ITl-       ,  '"^  »"  ""^  an- 
ing  to,the  village  mL"d  aul '"^  '''!  ^'"'^"^  ^W^ 
At  last  they  Wld  It  thl       '^  '*'"'"•        • 

to  lift  out  the  stones  and  J  ^  echoon^r, 

.  ■    ^"oot  boys,  of  all  sTzes  betwe      T^"^  "  '^°"'''<' 
V  the  place^herp  the  ston„  1  n  I"  '^  "^"'"""^^  ''"d 
He  then  took  Arthtr  R^^f   "'?  ^""^"'^y  f-^^"- 
■ »  %  essisknts,  td  stood  bvT'  ^f'  """  ^"^    ■ 
,„«P  again  *ith  fL  stones t    ^  lu"  ~"  '»  ''""d  " 
*  himself  worked  witl!  k  "  "'^  Antelope.    Ho    ' 

^^a^eat™  u,3,ones,  bl'    tt^h  :e  „1^"  "'^^« - 
'  Wfe.  hands  at  work  •  and  .^   \  .  ®  *  g''eat 

Wfehich,  howe^^r   lnn',>''*'*«^^'»>ent 
ihra^viated  by  tit    "        .  '^  *™«  '='>*'ed    . 

%Vthe  work^f  :„Sd  "'(^'"Z'^  '«'"- 
stone  wall  arose,  <iuitaT       '^  OnceAbre  the 

•  l'efofe,irid,infact  ele^bl^"''  \"  "*H  be«n 
-it  had  been  taken  IL'™  ""^^P"' ""-enoe 
1«i»ble   i®n48  worked    anf  ''porously  had  the 

"theyw^ei-e  able -to.;jo  back*  *•,?■!,  *"°°»^'- that 
dinflS?,  witfrthe  hLy  con^*  '"'^«  «"  '«''*  their  f 

:f  ®FFind  secbndir  Zf  J  "f^afodSr  oF^  .    - 

^--ne„s  th./h:ni:i?x5'i^  j 


*  Ji 


%•• 


\* 


'■*^^i3 


74 


THE  BOYS   OP  GRAND   PR6   SCHOOL. 


when  it  was  taken  away.  So  Mr.  Long  said,  as  he 
expressed  liis  thanks  for  their  labors,  and  his  deep 
gratification  at  the  fair  result ;  and  so  they  all  Yelt 
as  they  looked  at  that  wall,  which,  though  built 
by  the  hands  of  amateurs,  was  still  far  better  in 
i=^  every  respect  than  the  older  portions,  the  work  of 
other  hands,  that  stood  beside  it. 

For  the  remainder  of  the  day  the  boys  were  all 
too  wearied  to  engage  in  any  play.  The  "  B.  0. 
W.  C.,"  p  particular,  were  exhausted  from  their 
doubl6  toil.  They  spent  the  afternoon  together  in 
Bart's  room,  talking  over  the  events  of  that  memo- 
rable evening  when  they  had  dug  for  money.  Solo- 
mon, since  then,  had  kept  out  of  sight.  They 
themselves  did  not  feel  at  all  inclined  to  reproach 
him.  Their  thoughts  did  not  refer  at  all  to  him, 
nor  to  Captain  Corbet,  but  rather  to  thattinearthly 
noise  which  had  driven  them  to  a  disgraceful 
flight.  Most  of  them  thought  that  it  was  a  trick 
of  the  Gaspereaugians.  Bruce  alone  rejected 
this  theory,  and  plainly  stated  his  belief  that  it 
was  something  supernatural.  If  it  had  been  the 
Gaspereaugians,  he  argued,  would  they  have  left 
u&  unmolested  after  we  went  back  ?  No.  It  was 
because  we  did  not  dig  that  we  were  let  alone. 
If  we  ^ad  begun  to  ^dig  again,  and  if  we  had 
struck  that  metallic  box  again,  then  we  should 
have  heftrd  that  roar,  aDd^HfcjI^g  a  good  deal 


\ 


worse, 
t  But  this  was  only  Bruce's  opinion;  none  of  the 


i4  '. 


-..» ^.    -    .J 


CAPTAIN  CORBET. 


75 


others  held  it.  They  were  convinced  that  it  was 
the  trick  of  the  Gaspereaugians,  and  were  eager 
to  find  out  some  way  of  retaliating  on  their  ene- 
mies; but  they  could  not  imagine  any  way  in 
which  to  do  it. 

The  hours  of  the  day  passed  on,  and  late  in  the 
afternoon  they  went  out  for  a  walk.  Not  having 
any  particular  route  in  view,  they  strolled  down 
through  the  village,  and  ve^y  naturally  directed 
their  steps  towards  Mud  Creek,  so  as  to  take  an- 
other look  at  the  Antelope,  and  particularly  at  that 
stone  fence  which  had  cost  them  so  much  labor, 
and  blistered  all  the  hands  in  the  school- 
On  reaching  the  spot  a  startling  sight  Dpiet  their 
'eyes.  There,  perched  upon  the  very  stone  Wll 
which  th^y  had  assisted  to  build,  with  hi|  arms 
folded  round  his  knees,  and  his  chin  pressed  upon 
the  same,  with  his  whole  figure  drawn  up  into  the 
smallest  compass  into  which  it  is  possible  ior  the 
human  frame  to  gather  itself,  they  p^w  a  f^milig^i?^ 
shape,  the  sight  of  which,  as  they'saw  it  iu^  such 
an  attitude,  st£trtled4hem  extremely,     '        *' 

It  was  no  other  than  Captain  €orbet.  Drawn 
up  thus,  folding  thus  his  knees  with  his  arms,  lean- 
ing thus  his  chin  upon  his' knees,  he  came  bef5rei 
their .flfjtfiif tied  vision;  but  he  himself  was  quite 
uncpnscfoua   of   their    prpseij^ei     His    face   was 

_  G&ji©  Wiiiou  prtsBttuted  ixseri  jbcw^ro  ~ 
him,  and  his  eyes  were  fixed  upon  that  scene  to 
the  excluBJODi  of  ajj  other  things;  .and  they,  as 


.^>: './K   ■■ 


; '  .  *  ■ 


76 


THE  BOYS  (ip  GRAND  Pb6  SCHOOL. 


nwanig7rJEnine^  ffiere,7and~^ 


firmly  fixed  in  't|iat  burial-place,  that  tile 


next 

■   A 


V 


Sinctf^they  had  been  there  last,  the  tide  had 
reaehed  Us  height,  and  had  fallen     Mud  Creek 
now  lay  before  them   perfectly  empty  of  witet 
,:    and  presentmg  to  their  view  an  tapaL^  o/noThW 
el  e  except  soft,  slimy,  slippery,  oleaginou,  m „d 
which  now  spread  away  in  an  impassable  gulf  and 
shewed  the  justice  and  the  truth  of  that  uneupho 
meus  name.    But  the  vast  abyss  of  soft,  shmy  and 
oleagmcnjs  mud,  and  the  wide  impassable  ™IW 

extraordinary  tides,  were  not  the  attractions  which 
nve  ed  the  gaze  of  Captain  Corbet,  and  the  eye    ■ 
of  the  boys  of  the  "B.  0.  W  C  "\«  thl      , 
nearpr      Tt   ,  ,  .  '     ^   '""^y  <^''«w 

S  in  f    r\r'»'^""°S  f«  different -some- 
thing,  in  fact,  whU  touched  them  all,  in  common 
wth  a  deep  feeliuV  of  ebrrow,_a  fteling  whS 

BcLusTfh"""^"  '°  n'"^  ^^P"""  Corbef  uncot 
rr»  ''[}^\P"'""''?  of  any  except  himself,  and 
to  make  the  boys  stop<.short  in  their  advance  and 
look  on  in  deep  but  mournful  silence.  '' 

For  there,  just  before  them,  and  just  before  the 
entranced  gaze  of  Captain  Corbet,  lay  the  AntJopc 
She  was  lying  o„  her  side,  down  the  steep  slope 
of  mud,  as  though  with ''the  falling  tide  she  h!d 
rolled  over  to  her  ruin  and  destruction.  There  she 
L'!:.:'!'',:';!r  "-^t  ""Jed  deep  in  the  soft  toud!  her 


•  / 


X 


THE  LAST   OP  THE  ANTELOPE. 


77 


rising    tide    would    only   seem    to    complete    her 
hopeless    ruin.    There    she  4aj,  doomed   and    de- 
voted   td   destruction, -the    dear  .old    Antelope, 
which  had  carried  them  safely  through   all  their-' 
late^adventures,  and  around  which.so  many  imper- 
ishable  memories   had   fastened   themselves.     To 
these  bo^^s  9f  the  «B.  0.  W.  C,"  who  thus  s^ 
It  in  the  peril  of  its  last  agonies,  the  Antelope  w^ 
Bot  a  common  schooner.    It  had  carried  them  safely 
through  adventures  which  were  never  to  be  for 
gotten.     In  h  they  had'  cruised  over  Minas  Basin, 
theyTiad  visited  the  Five  Islands,  they  had  landed   . 
at  Pratt  s  Cove;  in  it  they  had  drifted  over  the 
wide  seas   they  had  run  ashore,  they  had  encoun- 
tered  perils  without  number;  in  it  they  had  known 
:joy  and  sortow,' plenty  and  famine,  hope  and  de- 
spair;   and  this  was  the  end -to  see  the  dear*d 
tub  upset  on  the  wrong  side,  and  lyiijg  buried  in 
We  fate'  '  *^'"  "^^"''  ^^^^^^^/i*^  i"evita.     , 

.  "^' ^,"1^,^°  J«^b^""  cried^B^r^^  who  hurried 
Up  flfstto  the  figure  on  the  stone  wall.     "  0  Cap- 
tain Corbet!     Can- notyng^e  done  to  save  ikr?^ 
,Cap^m  Corbet:  tuhi^d  his-  fdc^and    looked 

rj«l^^rV1^^^"P"^*^'^^^^^^^^^^    His  calmness 
extended  itself  to  ttem,  and  they  thought  that  it    . 

was  the  calmnesr  of  hope.     In  a:momBnt  (ieir 
sorK)w  over  the  Antelope  pawpd  away. 


^ut  the  words  olf  Captain  Corbet  did  not  tend 
to  inspire  hope.  '  ^ 

J*.  -■     -       -.  *  » 


.A 


-ra-" 


»^.,» 


78 


TSE  BQTS  OP  GRAND  Pb6  SCHOOL.        \ 


.-,'#! 


He  shook  Ms  venerable  head  with  deep  solem- 

'*  Xo,"  said  he, «  nothen  ken  be  done.    You  see  I  * 
hnmed  home  to  see  the  babby,^n  I  d^n't  fasten 
her  nght.     She  stood  one  tidd  all  night,  but  it  was  * 
on'y  by  crmnco.     This  here  tide  to-day  has  ^4«ie 
ifer  her.     Pd  orter  hev  tied  her  up-proper-^  bifi  ft  ' 
w^  all  the  babby.     I  clar'd  out,  tied  ^er  loose,  an 
this  here's  the  result.    Good  by,  old  Antelope ! — 
^cja4)ef.     There's  Lating  for  ye,  boys,"  he  added 
mournfiiUy.    «  You're  etudyin  that  at  the  Academy,' 
an    km  ,  onderstand  the   feelins  of  the    onhappv , 
Corbit."  '  '  ,    ^-^  i 

"  Don't  talk  so,  captain,"  cried  Bart.    "  We'll  help 
you.    We  got  out  aU  the  ballast  to^ay.     Come; 
can't  you  think  of  some  way  to  save  her?    Isn't    ' 
there  any  way  ?     We'll  help  you  if  you  #ant  help. 
We'll  wait  here  till  tho  next   tide,  and   get   her      ^ 
righted." 

, .  "  No  go  -T  "  said  Captain  Corbet.   ^ 

^'  You  give  up  too  quick,"  cried  Bart,  more  ear- 
nestly than  before.  "Can't  something  be  done? 
We'll  help  you,  you  know." 

Captain  Corbet  shook  his  head  solemnly ;  then 
looking  earnestly  at  tbe  boys,  he  slowly  ejaculat- 
ed,  — 

'^No  go,  boys;  that  there  eehooner's  a  gonfe 
spckerl" 

In©  toae-iu  whlct^pUiiu^Tbet  QttefedlBeee 
words  was  one  of  such  quiet  despair,  tjiat  noiie  of 


I 


-■^A 


% 


^       aWpnik'. 


79 


the  boys  had^  ai?ything  to  say.  They  all  felt  that 
he  knew  best.  Besides,  he  was  most  directly  con- 
cerned  m  the  J^ss.of  the  Ahte^e,  and  if  he  gave 
up,  tben  ther§  was  no  hope  ^r  them.  Then  also 
the:^  had  offeted'Hheir  services,  and  Captain  Cor- 
bet.Md,declined  them.  Wiiat  more  could  they  do.? 
Nothmg more ;  th^^ wasevident.  So  they^listened 
m  n^ournful  silence  f|o^  his  last  words. 

"  Yes,"  said  Captain  Corbet,  impressively.  She's 
a  gone  sucker  I  .  An  it  ivas  o'ny  my  fault.  I'd  prt 
to  hev  tied  her  up.  But  I  didn't.  Cos  why*?  C^ 
I  hed  to  hurry  off  to  t|je  babby.  It  was  the  infanl 
that  called  me  off  from  my  daoty  to  the  schewner. 
an  this  here's  the  end.  SarVes  me  right.  O'ny 
It's  a  heavy  loss,  an  I  wouldn't  mind  it  if  it  was  my 
Joss.  But  'tain't  my  loss.-  It's  hisn.  It's  the 
infant's.  And  the  wust  of  it  is,  the  loss  is  totial; 
tor  the  schewner's  a  gone  sucker  ! " 

"  I  see  how  it  is,"  he  resumed,  as  the  boys  stood 
round  him  in  respectful  silence,  full  of  sympathy 
for  his  loss,  -  f'  I  see  how  it  is.     It's  the  finger  of 
Providence.    You  see,"  he  continued,  with  a  deeper 
solemnity,  "you  see  it's  intended  to  show  me  that 
1  m  to  devote  myself  altogether  to  the  babby     I 
•onst  dug  for  ^old~I  ben  warned  off.    I  traversed 
the  brmy  deep  with  potatoes  -  warned  off  again. 
This  here's  whafc  I  call  a  warnin,  an  I  take  it  as 
«ch  an  henc4rt})  intend  to  givo  m^.olf  up  to 
the  babby.    Thfat's  about  it."  . 

,  Captain  Corbet  then  relapsed  into  8ilence,'^^d 


.  I 


A 


-  ■    •    .  .     .'  ■  •      -» 

80  •  THE  BOYS  OP  THE  GRAND  PRE  SCHOOL. 

once  more  fixed  his  abstracted  jraze  nnnn  ih.  i    . 
schooner     The  bo,s  could  do  n^^'a^^^^^^^^^^ 
resp^c  ful    sympathy,  they  withdrew^' in   sneLe 
and  returned  to  the  hill  siience, 

avel^  "'^  Bart's  arm,  and  pointed  to  the 

"  Look,',' he  cried.  ~         V. 

Bart  Idoked,  and  saw  t^e  familiar- iJeurebf  r«^ 

Wemed  very  much  excited.        ^  oroet,  wh,^ 

la^JlT\^'^  I"''  P"'""''^  to  the  portico.,..! 
t>.„   I      .    "^  ^'  ^"^  '"'  ""o.  but  hurried  on  in\ 
L  oTt"  "f  *'*"''  '"'*  --  "-ended  tC^ 
Long.  ""'""'■  '"^«*ately  in  front  of  Mr! 

got  ":» t'Silf^ ''^' ^  ^^"^  "«"»«-''■  IVo 

"Ah,  captain,"   said  Mr.  horw     «TT««  ^ 
do?    Twuble?    TKhattrouMeT-      ^°' *  y»» 
"  Along  o'  that  stone  fence."    ' 


M 


X' 


I 


Tbo  Btona  fenuo  ?  ^ 


/ 


said  Mr.  Long.    «How^ 


that?,  Wep„tital.Uek^i<:p,:::U,X,. 


c 


CAPTAIN  CORBET  IH  TKOHBLE. 


81 

"  Any  how,"  said  Captain  Corbet,  "  they've  cone 
an  sarved  a  writ  on  me."  .  ^  ° 

"  A  writ  I " 

"Yes  8ir,     Damages  done  to  property   by  re- 
moval  of  wall     An  they're  going  to  prosecuteVe  , 
An  me  jest  lost  the  achewner.    Me,  with  nothin 
kit  but  my  httle  form  to  leave  tew  the  babby  r' 
He  paused,  overcome  by  his  emotion.      ' 
•  Damages?"  said  Mr.  Long,. who  was  fiUed  with 
p.ty  at  Captam  Corbef.  evident  distress.   "  0,  d!n" 
be  afraid.     They^an't  do  anything.     I 'U  take  the 
responsibility.    iW  the  stones,  you  know     Yo: 

^Ite  or       ^^-^'^  >— <:•     When  is^he'snit 


"  The  day  after  fo-morrow," 

V\Z^XT^'v^^tJ°^  trouble 'yours'elf  at<all. 

-  (I,     ^^  '",''•     I "  l^e  there  and  defeudn^ou  and  I'm 

very  „.u  h  mistaken  if  they  will  betble  wLt 

dalUT  '"""'  ^""■•'  ''^'^^  ■^"'^'"V^r  the  ) 

wasf^1,:rirrL;T^''''°^^^''^p^'«'f--  ^^  ■ 

cause  »n^     ^.       ,       ?*  P™""««  to  espensi  his    , 

ff^  8ei«d  Mr.  Long's  hand  in  both  of  his: 
h«..Si^;^f;  \  ^l:^^  yo-  was  har^ 
nor  pleasanter  spoken  gentleman  ne 
wten  iny  babby  can  learn  tew 


6 


»pea 


\ 


^.' 


I 


-\*~i.  V"^:^ 


V' 


82 


THE  BOYS  OF  GRAND  Pfe6  SCHOOL. 


him  to  come   down  here  and  belless  you(>F^ 
you've  saved  me  from  ruination,  and  snatched  the 
infant    from   want'  and   woe.     That    babby,  Mr. 
Long — " 

/"  0,  never  mind ;  its  nothing,"  said  Mr.  Long, 
Mrriedly.  "  The  dfty  after  to-morrovv—  is  it  ?  Well,' 
I'll  be  prepared.  All  right.  Don't  be  afraid.  Pli 
see  all  about  it.  I'm  very  busy  now,  or  I'd  talk  more 
about  it.  You  come  here  the  day  after  to-morro\Y. 
^Mind.  Dpn't  forget.  Good  by." 
-  'And  spying  this  Mr.  Long  dragged  Dr.  Porter 
*way  ^ Jipjihe  portico;  leaving  Captain  Corbet 
mutteraWfert|culate  words  about  his  babbv. 


■i.', 
2 


h    ■■!    ■' 


« 


:4?y 


*Ut;=' 


EXCITEMENT. 


85 


V. 


P' 


^*^  mysterious  Sound  ,«  '     '~~^ 

of  venturous    &pfo 'er?    C"^   ^"'''■"-  -  ^'^^o 

L^/e  in  his  Baiul  2/    "--Bart  takes  hi, 
«- Mystery  of  tll^'oZteT '^^  '" '-'^-nter 

tWe  was   the  TX^^/TZ'l'' '''' '''''^-' 
bnght  prospect  of  morf  I,„im         T''  *"'*  "" 
"orrow  of  Corbet   ove"  TT  '  *™  "<«  ^e 
f-,i,  there  was  L  prL^:/:?' ^"'*P«.-    "■«' 
t™i,  when  Mr.  Lone  wo,!wi  r    ?"  «PP™ach,ng 
tb«  innocent.    We™  2«       ''^"''  *"">  ««»«<>  of 
exciting  to  keep  the'bov»        r"'"  efficiently   ' 
Methinks  they  ^ere        ^       y^'  *™  "  '"'«  hour  ? 

^^"ce,  Who  was   8UDer.K7  °P^'*P^^^*^em. 


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TEST  TARGET  (MT-3) 


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Sciences 
Corporallon 


23  WEST  MAIN  STREET 

WEBSTER, N.Y.  I4S80 

(716)  •73-4503 


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84 


/THE   BOYS   OF  GRAND   PR6   SCHOOL. 


»;  w. 


f, 


)t 


boys  were  one  and  all  convinced  that  it  was  a  hoax. 
.  But  who  had  done  it  ?  pid  the  perpetrators  of 
that  hoax  belong  to  the  school?  or  did  they 
belong  to  the  village  ?  or  were  they  Gaspereau- 
gians  ?  On  these  points  they  took  sides,  and  had 
long  arguments,  which  led  to  no  conclusion  in 
particular,  but  left  them  where  they  were. 

One  conclusion  they  did  come  to,  however,  and 
that  was  toJceep  their  adventure  a  profound  secret, 
and  wait  to  see  if  the  mystery  would  not  be  re- 
vealed. 

In  spite  of  their  fatigu d,  they  were  so*excited  by 
the  recent  events,  that  they  all  remained  in  the 
Eawdons'  rooms  till  quite  a  late  hour.  The  Acad- 
emy was  still,  and  everybody  scorned  to  have  gone 
to  bed.  Bart,  Tom,  and  Phil  were  about  to  retire 
to  their  own  rooms,  when  suddenly  there  occurred 
something  which  made  every  one  of  them  start  to 
his  feet. 

It  was  a  long,  wild,  shrill  cry,  somewhere  between 
a  howl  and  a  hoot,  and  it  sounded  in  the  attic 
above.  Before  they  could  recqver  from  their  first 
shock  it  sounded  again  and  agai^. 

Bruco's  face  grew  pale,  and  the  others  looked  at 
one  another  with  wide-open  eyes. 

The  Rawdons'  rooms  were  in  the  third  storygs 
and  immediately  above  them  was  the  attic,  which' 
ran  the  whole  length  of  the  Academy,  all  unfin- 
iahed  except  a  little  eJiamber  at  this^nd  occupied^ 
by  Pat.     Pat's  room  was  immediately  over  Bart's ; 

'A  ■ 


H- 


A   NEW   TERROR. 


85 


'f.  5; 


and   as  the  Academy  was  divided   into  separate 
compartments,  each  with  its   own   entrance   and 
stairways,  it^  had  no   connection  with   this  part. 
Midway  m  the   unfinished  attic    rose  the  cupola 
supported  by  a  network  of  vast  beai^s,  a  fovirite 
place  of  resort  for  the  boys,  on  account  of  the  mag- 
nificence of  the  prospect  which  it  commanded.    On 
rainy  rlays  the  attic  formed  a  fine  place  for  exercise, 
but  at  night  Its  vast  and  gloomy  extent  served  rath- 
er toTepel  visitors.     Such  was  the  place  through 
which  now  sounded  that  discordant  and  horrid  cry 
which  had  so  startled  tlie  boys. 
"  There  it  is  again  !  "  said  Bruce  at  last 
"Pooh!"  said  Bart-"that?-that  is  nothing 
to  what  It  was  up  in  the  cellar." 

"  Let's  go  up  and  see  what  it  is,"  said  Bruce 
who  again,  as  before,  mastered  the  weakness  of  his) , 
superstitious  fear  by  a  supreme  effort  of  courage.^ 

chant.""'    '"    "''    ''^    ^^'^"-     "Now'sftr' 

JrZ"  r^^"'^"]'  '"'^  '''^  ^  ^^"^P'  ^"d  they 
sorted  ofi-.     Scarcely  had  they  passed  out  into  the 

hall,  than  another  of  those  shrill  cries  came,  and  at 

ThevT  '".'  f''  '^^^'  *^^^^  P^-''-  knocks. 
They  stopped  for  a  moment  to  listen.     As  they 

stopped    the  door  opposite   opened,  and  Jiggins 

appeared.    He  lo6ked  pale  and  disturbed.       ^ 

_mat'aaU  the  row,  Jiggins  ?"  asked  Bart.    

Row  ?    said  Jiggins ;  « I  don't  know.     I  don't 


"•yt 


'■  I 


N 


»^t.'' 


86 


THF   BOYS  OP  GRAND   PR6  SCHOOL. 


like  ic  at  all.     It  don't  spmehow  sound  altogether 
right.     I  think  you'd  better  not  —  " 

At  this  moment  Jjggins's  voice  was  drowned  by 
another  hdwl.  He  started,  and  looked  at  the 
others  in  silence. 

By  this  time  they  heard  below  the  noise  of 
doors  opening,  and  shuflfling  feet.  The  voices  ISil" 
Bogud  and  Billymack,  and  Johnny  Blue,  and 
Muckle,  were  heard  calling  up  to  them.  They 
shouted  back,  after  which  the  others  came  up  to 
the  hall,  and  they  all  stood  listening  at  the  foot  of 
the  stairs.  In  the  midst  of  this,  other  footsteps 
were  heard,  a^d  Pat  made  his  appearance. 

"  I  ran  out,"  said  he,  "  an  I  saw  lidj^jp  here 
—  an -I  came  up.     Ye'v  heard  it^-bESHpye's?" 

"  Yes,"  said  Bart ;  "  do  you  know*  what  it  is  ?  " 

"  Me  1 "  cried  Pat ;  "  sure  didn't\I*hear  it  close 
by  me  room  ?  and  didn't  I  run  for  it  ?  " 

"  It's  mighty  queer,"  said  Jiggins. 

"  I  think  we'd  better  go  down,"  said  David  Digg ; 
"  whatever  it  is,  it's  something  that  we  ought  not 
to  fice." 

'•Nonsense,  Bogud!"  said  Bart;- "we're  going 
up." 

"Up,  is  it?"  cried  Pat;  "'deed,  then,%n  ye'd 
betther  not  1  Ye  don't  know  what  it  is  thgit's  up 
there." 

As  he  spoke  th<^e  sounded  once  more  thosejie' 

cnliar  knocks. 


J 


-^  , 


THE  BOYS  IN   COUNCIL. 


87 


"  Many's  the  time  I  he^rd  that,"  said  Pat?  '^  It's 
a  black,  bad  place." 

,    "  Wern'tyou  frightened?" asked Bogud, solemnly. 
"  Sure  it  cudn't,  make  any  differ  whether  I  wor 
frightened  or  not.     I'he  likes  of  me's  got  to  bear 
thim  things."        .  ] 

And  now  there  came  another   uproar.     It  was 

yell  after  yell,  so  wild,  so  harsh,  and  so  discordant 

J  that  the  former  noises  were  pothing  in  comparison! 

Bogud  beat  a  hasty  retreat,  and  Jiggins  backed* 
mto  his  doorway.    The  other  boys  fell  back  a  little 
but  the  "B.  0.  W.  e."   stood   their   ground,  and 
.Bruce  put  his  foot  on  the  lowest  step  to  ascend  to 
the  attic.  •        "^ 

"Sure  ye'll  not  be  goin  up  ! ''  said  Pat.  - 

"  Yes,  we  will,"  saad  Bart.  *  "  Come  along —  all  of 
you." 

"IIV  kilt  ye'll   be  I  "Vailed  Pat  — "it's  dead 
mtirely  ye'll  find  yerselves  when  ye  come  back  1 " 

"  Come  along,  boys,"  cried  Phil,  as  h^  hurried  up 
after  Bruce.    «  Come,  Pat.     It's  all  humbug." 

"  Come  along,"  cried  Bart ;  "  you  needn't  pretend 
to  be  frightened,  Pat;  you're  only  humbugging 
It's  my  belief  that  you  know  all  about  it.  Can't  I 
tell  by  your  face  whether  you're  really  frightened 
or  not?"  i 

"  Me  !  "  cried  Pat,  with  a  very  queer  intonation, 
Jhat  sounded  like  a  mournful  wail  struggling  with— 
wildlaughtp.    "Is  it  me?    0  woro<K) !    Wtitto 
danger  yere  goin  thin  1    Don't  blame  me  if  I  didn't 


■r  > 


88 


'4 


..-tf' 


THE  B0Y3  OP^GRAND  PR6  SCHOOL. 


^warrun  ye'8.     Och,  but  it's  a  black  day  i:»^. , 
Come  a,         ^     .,  ,,„  ,,^,,.  ^^  ^,_^  ^..J^^^^ 

The  0  last  words  wore  not  hoard  by  .the  "  B.  0. 
W.  C,   who  were  by  this  time  in  the  attic  noorin^ 

.^oi^eTt  alf^"  ^"^  ^!°"«  """'  '^"*  *''«y  '«=»rf  no 
hoTrd  A  • ,  ,t:u^V  •"'«^kB  whatever  were 
,Iir',  i^' '•'"S"'  ^^"y  began  to  go  abont.     Thev 

Pats'  '"'  """"1'  *•""  '"'  "f  t'-  »"io  where 
Pat  s  room  was  and  the  only  noise  they  heard  was 

the  heavy  footsteps  of  Pat.  as  he  ascended  the 
stairs  and  entered  his  room. 

"  It's  my  firm  belief/'  said  Bart  "that  P.,t  ;=  „* 
the  bottom  of  all  this  humbug.    Of  iourse  ^ell' 
find  anythmg.    There  won't  be  so  much  as  a Zock 
let  alone  a  howl."  iuock, 

They  walked  all  about,  and  at  last  reached  the 
pace  where  the  cupola  arose.     It  was  bu.l   o!e 
the  mam  part  of  the  Academy,  from  which  \Zll 

up  w,th  the  Academy, hall,  which,  however,  did  not 
nse  so  h,gh  as  the  floor  of  the  attic,  and  he  con 
sequence  was  that  there  yawned  here  a  dark  abyss 
some  fifteen  feet  in  depth,  and  si^ty  or  eighty  fee 
square.  Above  rose  the  stout  timbers  crossW 
one  another  in  all  directions,  throufh-the  mXt  of 
wh,ch    adders  ascended   into  the  cupTfe.    ^^ 


•'-«p,anks«.ic>acr;:rt^"a^3,irberr 


tJ 


'■i%\ 


,•'•;_ 


\  A  TAIN  SEARCH^  gg 

curiously  in  alldirectionsA  TWo  wa    '"  V'-'"^ 
came  of  it  '^  '      *  °°*^'"S  whatever 

"  ^''".  boys,"  said  Bart,  « ,re  can't  dn  „     .i  • 
more.     For  mv  narl;  I'm  f„      ™  "»■>' do  anything 
to  bed."       ^  P"'-' " '*8ged  out,  and  I'm  going 

tho^herTe  """^"^  '""^  »PP™b=^tionofaU 

£-^r;^::--t:rV::-ifg: 

But  just  at  that  moment  the  yells  anH  f>,    »,     * 
«  out  again  in  a  dearenin^X- tS 

fin7;orLT^r'd:r''D!:v^^''^^  --'« 

Pot'a  at  the  botton.  ofit.      Z^X  I''  Tc 
-CtlLb^n^^'"^'''''-'^^^^^^^^^ 

^^.notherbuot  to-nigbt,  you^r.^^^  ^Zr^ 
"elves.    1  „.  go,„g  to  bed,  and  I'll  sleep  till  nineT- 


90 


THE   BpY3  OP  GRAND   PR6  SCHOOL. 


morrow  in  spite  of  all  the  noiges  that  can  bo  scared 
^    up." 

With  these  words  Bart  retired  along  with  Tom 
and  Phil ;  and  he  kept  his  word,  for  he  slept  as 
sound  as  a  top,  and  did  not  make  his  appearance  on 
the  next  day  till  long  after  the  other  boys  were  up. 
After  getting  his  breakfast   from   Solomon,  he 
wandered  out   into  the    grounds   in  front  of  the 
Academy,  -where  he  found  nearly  all  the  school 
gathered,  and  in  a  great  excitement.     The  noises 
had  been  heard  all  tlirough  the  night  by  most  of 
them,  and  had   excited   every  varying  "^sha^e  of 
superstitious  terror.     Bogud  had  told  them  about 
the^  attempt  of  the  "  B.  O.  W.  C."  to  find  out  the 
mystei^',  and  Txim  had  been  forced  to  acknowledge 
their  failure.    All  this,  of  course,  made  an  immense 
sensation. 

Different  theories  arose  among  them,  most  of  ^ 
tliem  tinged  with  superstition.     All  these  theories  " 
referred  to  an  old  legend  that  the  Academy  had 
been  built  on  a  spot  where  some  French  houses  had 
once  stood,  and  that  the  cellars  were  beneath  the 
building.     Out  of  this   legend   some  of  the   boys 
created  a  wild  theory,  which  connected  the  harm- 
less Acadians  with  the  hideous  noises  of  the  past 
night.    Jiggins  and'  Bogud  were  both  inclined  to 
this.     Pat  was  very  industrious  in  going  about 
among  the  boys  with  terrific  descriptions  of  what 
he  "had  heard;  and  as  his  room  was  actually  in  the 


IS 


attic^  and  only  separated  from  its  gloomy  extent  by 


I.' 


Bart's  search.  gj 

a  thin  board  partition,  his,  authority  was  consid- 

cred  sufficent  for  any  belief,  however  wild.   Pat  7n 

-      faet,  was  a  great  man  that  day,  and  fairly  revel  ed 

...  the  awe-s  ruek  faces  of  the  small  boys.as  they 

h"r  7,      r  ''°"'  '"'  -^^P^""--    These  amaU 
boys  all  hved  m  another  building  called  the  Board 

.ng  House,  which  stood, near  the  Academy,",^ 
apart  from  .t,  and  as  *),by  listened  to  Pat's  wild 
atones  hey  congratulated  themselves  that  they 
were  not  w.thnj  hearing  of  such  terrific  .ounds  "^ 
Bart  heard  all  this,  ho  watched  the  effect  which 
t.s  story  had  produced,  and  he  saw  how  Pat!  was 
.  glonfymg  himself  on  this  occasion  i . 

_"  I  tell  you  what  it  is,  boys,"  said   he  to  his 
fnends    as  they  found  themselves  together  ana 

from  the  others.    "In  all  this  school  there  is  on  i 
and  on,  u,,^  ^^^^^  ^  ^^^    n.^ 

t's  vl-  ,  "^  ™™  °{  "•     ^f  ^  '"«•  ^  '^°"'>t  before, 
.ts  vanished  now.     Why,  look  ht  him  over  there 

fnghtenmgthesmallboysoutofthoirwits.    Wei" 

he  continued,  after  a  pause,  "  very  well ;  just  wait  a 

wh,le,and  see  if  I  don't  pay  „p  4  for  this.'- 

As  soon  as  Bart  could  do  it  unobserved,  he  went 

P  to  explore  the   attic.     He  spent  a  iing  time 

ere,  and  d,d  not  come  dowr,  till  the  dinnt  Z 

Z7lf\         r-    ^'"  i"^'=««g='«on  tas  Ipng 
a^  scarehmg;  but  what  he  found,  and  where' h^^ 

*e  found        1°"'  ^°  '■°""''  "'  "'"' '"  <■"»'  ^■'•'th^^ 
he  found  anythmg  at  aU  or  not,  he  did  not  tell  to  a 


92 


THE,nOYS   OF   CRAXD'rnfi  SCHOOL. 


and  keep  my  „„„  counsel,  and  wait  till  ,\,T  ' 

t.mo  comes  for  the  .lisclosl.rc  ■"'"P" 

ghturtl';^;;;:!';  "';"''■', "-"'« «"-«.  to  be . 

orchid,  ct::^;,z::ttzr^  ^t'- 


.V     ^ 


.  C."    As 

I'm  not 

Bart  did, 

0  proper 

to  bo  a 
French  • 
5r   keep 
i  advice 


THE  TRIAL. 


VI. 


,     93 


Mr.   Long',    Tonu^t    O    ,     '  """^  ^"  ^'^-^ 
Apotheosis    0/  Xl-„   'A  ?'   '"^'"0    «    «« 

tionary.)  ""^  "^  —  ^i^otheosis  ^see  Die 

o  ■ 

*o  come  off  at  cloven  o^fc  'l     ",""'■"•    ^'  ^"^ 
of  the  boys  was  n,.t  t„T?    ■   ^"p  "'e  impatience 

^  before  tha't  time  t  J     „t\u"o!f"^?'  ""•  '""^  ' 
Academy,  gathered  togeZ  f„V     '°  '^'™'  °^  '^'^ 
.  -g  the  probab,Iitfe3x.fSll  Xl^^f^^T^^'- 
removed,  and  put  into  thn  IT'  "'''"  '""^  "^cen 

carried  awa/  It  hid  t.     r"'' ^°'" ''^"««'' »d 
'veek.    That  was  all  nndw'P'  '^'"  ■""'«  '^an  a 
other  hand,  it  ha<rK"'     ^^^    ''"''  "■»•  ""^  *!>«      • 
better  than  ever     T^T  "'^^'^'^'  ™  «'at  it  was 
How,  then,  could  the  owlr---^"""*"^  u„de„iable.= 
■•gehadbeenZe?  Ina    Pr"""^^  ^''atdam- 

intact  the  opimon  of  the  boys 


ot 


THE  BOYS  OP  GRAND  ^RE  SCHOOL. 


was,  that  mstoa^I  of  prosecuting,  he  ought  to  make 
the  school  a  proscr»t  of  some  kind,  -  suy  a  couple  of 
barrels  of  apples,  .a  return  for  their  skill  and  indus^ 

Zl"  n     "J^'"?  '"''  "'^  ''""^'^V'  tu.nble.dov.n  stone 
^  .HI     J3es,des  he  hacUio  busiAass  tp $)rosecute  Cap. 
tarn  Corbet.,  Mr   Long  was  th\  guilty  pai-ty.   Why 
not  prosecute  hi^?  '     \         "^  W^  ^        "^ 

On  the  whole  it  wa^  a  question  full  of  interest, 
^nd  as  the  appcnted  l^our  drew  near,  its  advent 
created  greater  and  grca^r  ex(^ttemen^. 
'  At  a  quarter  boforo. eleven  thetloor  of  Dr 'Por- 
ter s  house  opened,  and  out  carao  Mr.  Long  fol- 
owed  by  Captain  Corbet,  while  Mr.  Simnions'and 
the  doctor  brought  Up  the  rear. 

Their  appearance  was  greeted  with  three  rous-  . 
ing  cheers  by  all  the  boys  f  arKl  as  their  rejected 
eachers  walked  on  towards  the  vilkge,  the  entjre  ' 
school  followed  at  thoir  heels,  in  a  ve^  irre^lar, " 
very  disorderly,  and  very  noisy  proqession.    \ 

1  he  "place  where  the  trial  was  to  come  off  was 
about  half  way  between  the  Academy  and  Mud 
Creek..    It  was  in  a  small  hall  which  was  built  for 
lectures   public  gatherings,  tea  meetings  and  so 
forth.     It  was  now  turned  into  a  court  of  Jaw,  and 
the  awful  Rhadamanthus  who  presided  here  was  a 
well-known  and  very  popular  pllager,  who,  by  some 
Singular  freak  of  fortune,  had  been  made  a  justice 
6t  the  peaKje.     His  name  was  Pieter  Schwab,  and 
ho   w^s    of    Dutch    extraction.     He   was    shoi^t, 
^iind,.fat,  had  a  bald  head,  double  chin,  gray  and  ^ 


»  Ki 


J 


THE  TRIAL. 


to  make 
uiple  of^ 
J  indus- 
11  stone 
I  to  Cap-  , 
'.   WJ.j 


95 


,         flomewhat    fishy  oyo.s,  fla.xcn   hair,  pudpy  hand« 

lu.ck,wh,ozyvo.co;  and  thoiigh  bori  andVugM. 

lip  in  t^.ountry,|,o'ai  spoko  with  that  rtuSica 

,  ,an<rneJUnuouH  Dutch \aoont  which.he  had  ,nhor 

itod  from  his  ancestors.    >  •         -  ^ 

Mr    P.eter  fechwub,  justice- of  tha  peace,  seated 
111  tlio  chair  of  lustiVo      Ti,,i>         "    .  ■"-•'i-i-u 

ton  „;.!,  /i      -^        ;         "  Pf"8ocutor  was  tlioio 
00,  wtli  a  largo.numbof  of  Villagers,  who  took  an 
intc^o  -mtorest  in  ,l,o:  ease ;  and  ^hen  tlio  boy" " 
crowded  ,„,  the  little  hall  Vas  crammed?:  ^  : 

One  cause  of  tl»  prosecution-  i„doed,  the  onlv    ; 
cause  -  lay  i„  a  certain  kind  4^  hostility  which  ex^ 
^stod  between  the  village  and  the  hill.    I,  was  a  sort 
..  of  "town  and  gown"  feeling,  wyich  was  n«t  confined 
.0  t>  village,  but  spread  over  the  country,  and  ,„ir 
ticularly  Gj«peVea„x.     It  was  this  feom.g  ,  £    . 

court  of  Rlmdamanthus.  StiH  there  was  not  so 
much  partisanship  on  this  occasion  as  there  wou  d 
la^o   been  if  thrf  dispute  had  been  directly  be 

was  the  one  who  was  pr^cuted,  and  CapWn  Cor-    " 
bet  ha  a  to  be  a  great  tavorite  in  the  village. 

The  villagers  present  were  therefore  very  uncer- 
tain  m  their  sympathies;  they  wished  the  hill  to- 
suffe       Ti;^^^*'^r "'' "^^^^  Captain  Corbet  to  . 


Iti^r      T''f*'*^"""™'*^"''<'3Tdditiond^ 
Bjmpathy ;  and  as  his  venerable  form  appeared,  a 


«  -11 


tJ 


«a! 


^"'>. 


V 


96 


THE  BOYS  OF   GRAND   PHE  SCHOOL. 


murmur  of  friendly  feeling  wenl  round,  and  a  score 
ot  horny  hands  were  stretched*but  to  grasp  hig 

The  suit  against   Captain   €or£et  was  for  the 
recoverv  of  damages  incurred  by  the  iljegal  vio- 
lent,  maficious^  injurious,  felonious,  dishonest',  ma- 
iignant,  mischievous,  wanton,  secret,  forcible,  bur- 
glarious, and  criminal  removal  of  a  portion  of  the 
stone  wall    surrounding    the   potato   field  of  the 
prosecutor,  whereby  the  said  prosecutor  had  sus- 
tained grievous  harm  and  loss.    The  prosecutor,  in 
setting  forth  his  grievances,  stated  that  it  might 
have  been  made  a  criminal  action,  but  out  of  kind- 
ness  to  Captain  Corbet  he  had  decided  to  make  it 
a  civil  one,  and  merely  Vished  to  have  the  losses 
which  he  had  suffered  made  good. 

The   bill  .of  damages  was   a  very   heavy   one 

amountinsf  to  no  less  ^  sum  than   five   hundred 

dollars  — Im  amount  which   poor  Captain   Corbet 

could  nevjer  have  paid,  and  which  was  perfectly 

preposterous.,    The  knowledge  of  this  excited  a 

tresh    demonstration   of  feeling  in   favor  of  the 

venerable  defendant;  and,  at  length,  even  before 

the  trial  had  fairly  begun,  there  was  not  a  villager 

present  who  was  not  heart  and  soul  in  favor  of 

Captain  Corbet.  ^ 

The  prosecutor  brought  forward,  testimony  to 
^rove  damftfges.  His  sole  testimony  consisted  of 
one  witness,  who  was  known  by  the  name  of  Old 


=^e~arpoor^orthlesrcHaractei7  whoso  lif^ 
brated  between  begging  and  getting  drunk.     Ke 


•J 


MB.   LONG   AS  K  LAWYER. 


97 

wWo  the  fence  ,, ad  .l~r  '"''■"  "^''"^ 
Mr.  x,ong  proceeded  to  oxnmm«  .i,-       . 

Mr  Long  had  a  -ngulari;  Cn   ",!,  l;\"""""- 
•and  the  witness  was"  nothi,^     ,      f     '°  "'""'' 
Zoke  in  a  few  minlr r^"'  "  ''■™''-'-     O''" 
I'e  could  not  te",Vt„        T  '"  '=™'""^«''  "«^' 
tl.at  the  day  was  itc  d  "■"'^:    '"f'    ^^  '^^^  ""' 
Thursday,  tlr  e  ^n  ^  "™  ^^^-^"r'^^^-'  *''- 
might  be    Friday   tl,en    «  ,  I       ''''  *""'  *'""  *' 
he  wonldn't  swet     ™  th    "L  ?•  "f ,  "*  '-««"    ' 
Sunday.     Finally  he  said   '    l\      ^ "  ''"™  "i"'"' 
to  the  day  at  all.'  A  tcTtli    t  "  "°'"''"''  ^"«- 
M^  Long,  that  he  Z^^'t^JZV''''''''''' 
have  been  a  cow  •  arrrf  rt  '"""'"'  "'ght 

-oar  that  itwa^tf.Srr'r-"''''''^ 

wou.d„.tswea:tt''it:rt:;:^-^«'^^«^« 

: t^ed  to  Corwitfarr^att^Sn^^-    ^f 

done  damage  whS>  te  hi.     'i"''"'  ^'^'"  ""''  h^" 
hundred  dollar?  ^'""""'*''  "'  »''«f  A™  . 

P^^^  ""^  P^^eedaa  to  grapplTwieh  the  ^ 
Could  he  p-ove  damages  to  the  extent  of  five 


r~ 


98 


THE  BOYS   OP   GRAND   PRE  SCHOOL. 


'/■ 


.' 


,*   .' 


hundred  dollars?  He  could,  ali  ?  And  bow? 
Could  he  prove  that  any  cattle  had  got  in  ?  Had 
he  himself  seen  any  cattle  ?  No.  No  ?  Who, 
then,  had  seen  them  ?  Old  Zeke.  Old  Zeke  ? 
Very  good. 

Would  the  prosecutor  be  kind  enough  to  state 
which  of  the  cattle  that  Old  Zeke  had  seen  had 
done  the  damage  ?     Was  it  Old  Zeke's  rat ! 

At  this  a  roar  of  laughter  arose  from  the  specta- 
tors, who  were  now  in  the  highest  state  of  excite- 
ment.        ; 

And  what  might  have  been  the  value  of  the 
'  :?  potatoes  j^a^ed  there,  — or  how  much  would  it 
'  cost  to  replant^ them?  Two  dollars,  or  twenty? 
Over  how  much  ground  had  Old  Zeke's  rat  gone, 
and  how  many  potatoes  had  Old  Zeke's  rat  eaten? 
Would  he  swear  that  Old  Zeke's  rat  wouldn't  have 
eaten  the  potatoes  even  if  the  wall  had  been  stand- 
ing?  Would  he  swear  that  it  was  possible  for  any 
one  rat,  in  five  or  six  days,  to  eat  up  five  hundred 
dollars'  worth  of  potatoes  ? 

In  a  short  time  the  prosecutor  had  got  into  an 
aprful  state  of  wrath  and  confusion.  But  Mr.  Long 
was  merciless,  and  had  made  up  his  mind  not  to 
spare  him.  So  he  rang  the  changes  on  Old  Zeke's 
rat  and  th6  potatoes  till  all  the  assembly  were 
convulsed  with  laughter,  and  the  prosecutor  was 
purple  with  fury  and  bewilderment. 
,,,,,^^  Thea  Mr.  Long  changed  big  tone  to  ont)  of 
^     greater  seriousness.     Alluding  to  the  prosecutor's 


'\ 


< 


THE   CROSS-EXAMINATION.       ' 


99 
oath,  that  the  daman-^  h  a 

"red   dollars,  h^aZtilTr^''  *»  Ave  h„„. 
severity  as  to  ho;,  he  ^ad  mad  '^"^  T""  """"''^^ 

Had  he  dug  „p  th!  ;!,»  r     "''"  ^''''""^te- 
been  injured  f    ^        P"**'"^^  *°  »««  -f  they  had 

No. 

Had  he  ploughedupthe  field  and  soweditagaln? 
™efie.dren,ained,then,asi.hadbeenplanted. 

of  p:tai:;3f'*''''^'"'''"-ot,  expect  a  crop 

Yes. 

How  much  was  planted? 
'-'ne  acre. 

iXdX'^-^-'- 

-M  b? fc?.  '°-  ^''^  "^  *•...•".,  What 

=^bout  forty  dollars. 

■^u    these    replies   woi. 

prosecutor  only  by  ZtrL""""^  ""'*  *<"n  «te 

'hat  he  was  in"^  bfd  posTZ  ^'T'''    ^«  '■'^" 

"e-'-'^t  it.    His  fee*  IZ td      /u"«^'""^  ^^'^ 

P'^rspiration  rolled  dowrolA;  '?'*  ^^  ""?«  of  • 

"And  yet  you  «wear  to  five^"^^  "'J""'^'^''    »"«. ' 
"S^:    you  prosecute  1  Z^"^ ''''"''"'  <^'W- 

°^,  a  virtuous,  and  an 


-\ 


100 


THE   BOYS   OP  GRAND   PJti  SCKOOL. 


estimable  fcllow-citizon,  and  jou  dare  to  take  an 
oath  against  him  to  such  a  frightful  untruth  I  What 
18  this?  Ls  It  malice,  or  what?  But  if  malice, 
what  ,s  there  that  could  ever  have  been  done 
against  you  by  one  so  simple-hearted  and  so  true 
and  honest  as  Captain  Corbet  ?  " 

All  this  produced  a  tremendous  effect   on  the 

Bpectators,on  the  prosecutor,  and  on  Rhadamanthus. 

But  now  Mr.  Long  came  down  harder  than  ever 

fnll         r  r'"""'"    prosecutor.     He    declared 
hmiself  ready  to  prove  that  Clptain  Corbet  never 
took  away  the  stone  fence  at  all. 
This  was  easily  done. 

First,  every  one  of  the  boys  was  summoned  to 
give  his  simple  statement  of  the  foots.     The  whole 
truth   came   out,   and   it  was  clearly  shown  that 
Captain  Corbet  must  have  been  in  total  ignorance 
of  the  whole  transaction.     To  the  testimony  of  the 
boys  was  added  that  of  Mr;  Simmons ;  and  he,  with 
all  the  rest,  alluded  in  touching  terms  to  the  oc 
cupation  of  the  captain  while  the  stone  wall  was 
disappear«g.    Stonewalls?    Captain  Corbet  ?  ^e 

t:^:nZ\zr'  "^  -  "-"^^  -^^  ^^^^  - 

As  the-  boys  came  forward,  one  by  one,  Captain 

Corbet  ooked  at  them,  and  listened  in  eager  atten- 

t.on,  ,v,th  a  smile  of  love  on  his  meek  and  vener- 

able  face.    As  they  spoke  of  his  absence  from  the 

^ene,  that  smile  broadened  _intoone^ deeper— 

TflTecbon;  but  finally,  as  they  spoke  of  his  occn^ 

> 


""•    ^"""'^   OXEAT  SPEECH.  '      10, 

i™ there wi,,h  hi  bi  r:''^?''""'"^'"-'"^ 

heart  boat  fast  _  „  ,,    ■',••  ",  "'"'  *'»  much.     Hi^ 

t'.'-,.di,uo^,i;:i;'^^«'f-oo„,,eet,-o„: 
his  Qyes.  ™^^^«0,  — tears    started    to 

^"t  what  couM  lie  do  ? 
iNothing. 

We    could  only   rvrasn  th^  i       . 

«tood  nearest,  and  wnru.       'f'  °^  ''^«'^«  ^^^^o 
words :  -  '"^  ^'^^^^"^  ^MKl  murmur  broken 

i^'S::- 1  w::::.:;  "r^  f  «o.pe,  tr„th^ 

"■'  a  feodin  of  hi,„   ,„  ;  :■  ™'  "  '""^^'i  "f  I'im, 

^tone  wall  than'o  ,„,":"  ;"t/""°  "''°"'  *'""  "'-     ' 
And  all  the.e  WordsJc  'nt  '"T", 

to  strengthen  the  convTctll    ,    f    "^''-  """^'"'^'i 
tl'o  poor  eaptain  was  a  de"^      '  "'"  "'"%'"»  that 
•       No%  of  all  those  eirclt''  "'"""^  """'■        ' 
establish  Captain  Co~ne  "'7 ;'''"'' """'''  *» 
possible  blame,  Mr  L„,      '^         '  ""''<'''°'"  from  all 
«i°ele  one.    h;  gathered  T"  ""'  '"'^'°^"""'  of  a 
"""  after  all  the^wi    t,    '?  f",  "^  '"  ''-  ■"■"J, 
Prepared  to  hurl  thT        ,       '^   ^"^^  o^Diined 

«>->  head  of  thlLorTbir  *  ^'^""^""""^  ''"-'"'» 
,        stricken,  prosee..rnr    ^'°'  "'"'  °°'^  ''-"ost  panic. 

"^eSnf  rasl^tVn'/"^'"''''^'"  P'--™-  ' 

«»Poet,  and  .mpressive  in  manner:  I 


y 


102 


T^. 


THE  BOYS  OF  GRANI>  PRE  SCHOOL. 


M 


.  |i 


he  joined  to  these  advantages  a  wonderful  acute- 
ness  of  thought,  and  a  copious  flow  of  eloquent  lan^ 
guage.  Besides,  he  was  stung  by  the  cowardly 
act  of  the  prosecutor,  who  attacked  poor  Captain 
Corbet,  instead  of  attacking  himself,  who  was  the 
real  culprit,  if  there  were  any  culprit  j  and  so  ho 
determined  to  read  that  man  a  lesson  ,which  lie 
would  always  remember,  and  prepared  to  pour  out 
all  the  full  vials  of  his  wrath  upon  his  miserable 
head.  No  damage  whatever  had  been  done,  or 
could  have  been  done.  And  yet  this  man  tried  to 
ruin  Captain  Corbet  out  of  petty  spite.  That  was 
enough  for  Mr.  Long. 

'  He  began  by  a  severe  review  of  the  prosecutor's 
statements,  and  a  still  more  severe  criticism  of  his 
charges  for  damages.  Old  Zelce's  rat  was  once 
more  brought  out  for  the  benefit  of  the  village 
audience,  and  light  jesting  was  mingled  with 
scathing  denunciation.  Old  Zeke  himself  did  not 
escape,  and  Mr.  Long  asked  his  hearers  to  judge 
what  kind  of  a  cause  it  was,  which  had  need  of 
such  a  witness. 

Then  he  showed  the  enormous  difference  be- 
tween the  utmost  value  of  the  potatoes,  even  if  all 
were  spoiled,  and  the  charge  made  by  the  prosecu- 
tor. The  fact  that  the  prosecutor  had  sworn  tp 
five  hundred  dollars'  damage  was  enlarged  upon  in 
indignant  language,  which  accused  that  prosecutor 
of  nothing  less  than  peijury:  "^ 

Then,  taking  all  these  facts  together,  he  sought 


CAPTAIN  CORBET  VIJfDICATED. 


103 


for  a  motive,  and  could  find  nothing  else  than 
extreme  avarice  or  excessive  malignity.  And 
against  whom  ?  Against  Captain  Corbet,  one  of 
our  oldest,' most  virtuous,  most  resp;6cted,  and 
most  venerable  citizens  ;  one  whose  character  had 
never  before  been  impeached;  one  who  was  loved 
and  revered  by  all ;  who  never  had  a  quarrel'  who 
had  never  made  an  enemy,  and  who  had  never 
stood  in  a^cQiirt  of  law  before  until  this  day.      P 

At  this'there  was.an  im^pcnso  sensation.  The 
boys  and  the  villagers  mingled  together  in  crJwd- 
mg  near  to  Captain  Corbet,  in  ord«r  to  show  their 
sympathy  with  his  unmerited  woes.  ,      .- 

"  And  who  was  Captain  Corbet,"  he  asked,  at 
length,  "  against  whom  this   ruinous  charge  had 
been  made  ?  »    This  was  a  question  full  of  interest, 
for  It  led  him   to  consider  the  character  of  the 
defendant.     He  alluded    to  his  many  virtues,  his 
reputation,   his  .popularity;    he   touched   also,  in 
gentle  terms,  upon  his  recent  loss  in  the  destruc- 
tion of  the  Antelope ;  and  by  skilfully  intermingling 
the  excellences  of  Captain  Corbet  with  his  afflic 
tions,  he  excited  still  more  the  commiseration  of 
his  hearers. 

Finally,  he  considered  the  testimony  as  to  the 
actual  occupation  of  Captain  Corbet  while  the  fence 
was  being  taken  away. 

"1®  J^ne^  nothing  whatever  aboit  it,"  said  Mr, 


l^ong,--*' absolutely  nothing.     He  was  not  there. 
He  was  far  away.    Where  was  he?    Where  was  this 


104 


THE  BOYS  OF  GRAND  Pr6  SCHOOL. 


man  who  has  been  charged  with  being  a  trespasser 
and  a  thief?  Where  Avas  this  man  who  has  been 
accused  of  removing  his  neighbor's  landmarks,  and 
laying  waste  his  neighbor's  fields  ?  Where  ?  " 
^  Mr.  Long  paused  for  a  ifioment,  and  his  eyes 
looked  all  around  over  the  crowd,  and  finally  set- 
tled upon  the  frightened  face  of  the  unhappy 
prosecutor.  - 

"  Wjjero  was  ho  ?  "  repeated  Mr.  Long. 

Again  he  paused,  perhaps  with  a  slight  fcelin- 
of  regard  for  the  poor  prosecutor;  perhaps,  on  the 
other  hand,  with  a  desire  to  make  his  speech  more 
effective  ;  perhaps  carried  away  by  his  own  elo- 
quence, and  merely  seeking  tlfe  most  appfopriato 
-  language  with  which  to  clothe  Jiis  vcliement 
thoughts  ;  perhaps  because  ho  faltered  for  a^i 
instant  before  he  should  say  what  was  in  his  mind 
to  say. 

"Where   was    he?"    he   repeated   once   more. 
Where  ?     Why,  all  the  time  far  ^way  from  the 
schooner,  from  the  wharf,  and  ff om  the  stone  wall  • 
Ignorant  of  everything  that  Avas  going  on;  thinking 
of  far  different  things  —  seated  in  his  own  house, 
on  his  own  chair,  by  his  own  fireside.     Yes,  alone  • 
and   engaged  in   what  I  have  heard  him  call  a 
parent's  fondest  joy  !     Not  stealing  away  a  stone 
wall !    No  1  but  administering,  in  the  seclusion  of 
his  own  home,  to  the  necessities  of  his  offspring  — 
^pplymg  nutriment  to  his  —  ah  —  infant  —  ah  -=^ 
m  fact,  —  ah  —  nursing  with  his  own  hands  —  his 
—  ah  — his  baby  1" 


'^ 


THE   VICTOIVt. 


105 


Mr.  Long  8toppckbruf,tly.  He  saw  Captain  Cor- 
bet  making  a  violek.efTort  to  get  near  to  him  ;  but 
he  avoided  him,  andnho  venerable  navigator  had 
to  pour  out  his  reelings  to  others  who  stood  nearer. 

The  end  of  it  all  was,  that  the  case  was  dismissed 
and  the  prosecutor  had  to  pay  costs  -though  that 
Avas  not  much. 

And   Captain  Corbet  was  for  a  short  time  the 
hero  of  the  village  and  of  tiie  hill.     As  he  came 
forth  they.all  cheered  him  with  united  voices ;  and 
ab^t  two  hundred,  consisting  of  men  and  boys 
shook  hands  with  him.-  ' 

And  all  the  boys  marched  along  with  him  nearly 
all  the  way  to  his  home.  • 

And  then  they  went  to  the  hill,  and  spent  the 
remainder  of  the  day  in  discussing  the  famous 
trial. 

And  every  one  of  them,  from  Bruce  down  to  the 
smallest  boy  of  the  primary  department,  was  in  a 
state  of  frenzy  about  Captain  Corbet  and  Mr.  Long 


fft 


^ 


lOG 


THE  B0Y3  OF  GRAND  P^SCHOOI,. 


VII. 

Camp.       The  m,ss.ng  Ones.  -  mere  Ire  they?  \ 

>HE  next  night  tho  noises  in  the  attic  were 
^    renewed      Bart  lay  calmly  slumbering,  an,J 

the  bovr""  ""<^'^'"''«<'.  "^"t  all  tim  re  t  of 
to  bo^  wore  very  greatly  excited.  They  turned 
out  of  tte.r  rooms,  and  talked  with  one  another  h 

self  T   .  .Tr  '■'"'P^'  ^"'^  "■""Wn't  bothej  him- 
self about  ,t  that  night  at  any  rate.    So  Tom'  a^d 
PH  s  emg  h,s  mdifference.  Went  back  to  bed,  and 
fell  asleep.     Bruqe  and   Arthur,  however,  beins    4 
close  under  the  attic, ,, re  mor^  disturbed    3-^ 
:aftertrymg  ,n  vain  to  sleep,  they  rose,  took  a  amp 


.^."^ 


he  Enc. 

-^The 
I  theyf\ 


V 


■xT^ 


; 


^     TRE  MYSTERY   OP  TlfE   ATTIC.  107 

aj.d  went  up  jnto  the  attic.    Jiggins  again  mot" 

■       r/'r     /  '''.'"^  °"^  °^  *^^^^  ^«««^'  ^t  l^i«  door, 
but  Oeclined  going  up.     Satho.tvyo.  brothers  wont  ' 

up  together,  and  looked  aroina'  fof  some  time  with- 
out  finding  anything.     While  they  were  up  there 
the  noises  ceased;  but  after  theylhad  gone  do^n,^ 
disgusted  with  this  second  failure/ the  Noises  were 
renewed.     But^iliarity  breeds   contempt,  and 
Bruqe  himself  had  lost  his  superstitious  fear.     IIo 
^    was  Convinced  that  it  was  a  hoax,  and  so  he  felt 
only  irritated  ^t  the  noise.     Having  failed  to  dis- 
cover  the  cause,  both  he  and  Arthur  wont  to  bod 
and  for  the.  rest  of  the  night,  in  spite  of  the  noises,' ' 
they  slept  soundly.  ' 

•  ^  On  the  following  morning  B^uce  proposed  i 
walk  to  Gaspereaux.  All  accoddd  to  this  proposi- 
to  except  Bart.     He  did  not  care  about  go^ng. 

f?  )f  r/''"^  ^^^^-''^  ^^  said,  which  he  wished 
to  attend  to,  After  vain  efforts  to  persuade  him 
,  to  accompany  them,  an  arrangement  was  Anally' 
mde  that  he  should  meet  themaj^the  camp  at  four 
0  clock.  This  Bart  acceded  to,  and  promised  to 
bring  provisions  enough  to  supply  them  all  with  a 
bounteous  and  a  generous  repast. 

'  Jl^rt^'t^^"  ""  ^^^^'  *^^^*  ™^^"^^^  ^ith  excit;.     , 
ment     Nothing  was  talked  of,  nothing  thought  of, 
but  the  unaccountable  noises  in  the  attic.     Again 
as  befbi^  the  theories  of  superstition  were^nr;=^ 
.  or  h     Again  as  before,  Jiggins  and,Bogud  shook 
their  heads  solemnly  gver  the  matter,  and  declared 


^^ 


108         THE  «OYs  OP  onAND  vnf:  scriooL.'. 


%' 


/. . 


tl.at  thoro  wa.s  something  «„„„»,  in  it.     Again  -as 
be/o,-c,  I-ut  wet  wound  a,„ong  ,!,„  boy„  Jivi"' ^  f 
tcrnf,c  aocou„t  „f  l,i»  ,.„„  exporiencof  and  Txtu  -V 

t.a..ng  upontho  ,„.d„.i,^ „,  ,,„  „;,  .^'^X-^'^ 

eo  n,   l.v.ng  ,„  a  room  wt.icl.  was   close  toftf,,  '" 
pu.0  of.  ,on-or_tl,o..-vt.io:     But  in  spito  of  If 
P  .fesod  tear,  Pat  did  not  seem,  to  suffer  ,in. Li ly      ' 
l-ealth  n,  any  way.     Hi.  appetite  was  as  good  l,is 
o      p,e...„n  as  ruddy,  and  his  spirits  as  ,fctiv 
e>e   ,  andall  the  hoys,  „s  thoy  Wrd  his  terrifie 
cxpor.cpce,  wondered  how  ho    eould  stand   it  s„, 

Irniii-ediately  after  breakftst,  Bruce  and  tho  otimr    '" 

school  m  tins  wdd  state  of  excitement.     Bruce  at 
t^^  breakfi.st  table,  had  entered  into  an  argum;n 
^v^th  J,gg,n,    bout  th6  noise  in  the.  attic,  in^vT,icl 

-erted;.battte^i::s:l"X^ir^ 
announced  his  belief  that  it  was  done  by  som' 
wandenng^  Frenchman  who  had  b  Jy|l  Jtho        ' 
expulsion  of  the  JiSadians,  and  w<2^il  h      ;•# 
rest  till-  the  school  should  bo  em^T^n        , 
m^C.  Johnny  Blue,  Sal^XTRamTnd' 
Pat  .^pported  Jiggins ;   whilo  Mucklo,  Bart   Ar  ' 
«>^To.n,  and  Phil  sustained  Brnce.    'Tl,e  Ig^ 
W2T'  '"^'°r<'''"^'  ''"*.  "B  »™al,  resulted 
^n  op  ni^^IrT''  ^aa  resolved  to  maintain  his 
rn  op,n.S«-  Of  those  who  thus  argued,  two'  only 


\ 


^   WALK   TO    GASPEREAUX.  109 

traerstood  tho  ca.so  :    the  ono  was  Pat,  who  said 

-.m,  ^T,  '^""'''^  ^"^  '"'  "''^^  ''^"  ^''°  ^"ostion ;  tho  other 
^^wa^  Bart,  wlxo  only  made  an  occasional  remark 
m  and  created  a  ya^rno  surprise  by  his  general  re' 
,     serve.     Ho  was  usually  outspoken  and  positive 
.  but  now   he    contented    himself  with   general   re' 
marks  and  indistinct  hin4s.  '  But  though  Bart  said 
Utile  on  .this  occasion,  he  kept  his  cye.s  open,  and  " 
observed  much,  -^lle  noticed   Pat's  demeanor  in 
particular,  and  fflarkxid  the  eager  volubility  with" 
Which  he  supported  Jiggins's  theory.    Thi.^  onlv 
.strengthened  his  belief  tlutt  Pat  was,  as  he  said,  at 
the  bottom  of  it,  and  made,  him  more  determined 
than  ever  to  concoct  some  plan  which  sholild  briji^ 
Pat  to  confusion," and  force,  him  to  a  confession  " 

;Such  was  the  ^te  of  things,  when  Bruco;  with 
his  friends,  starteJVfT  to  Gaspereaux,  leaving  Bart  - 
behind  them,  withthe  understanding  that  he  should 
join  them,  with  provisions,  at  the  camp,  at  four 
0  clock  in  the  afternoon.  They  took  fishing-rods 
with  them,  and  anticipated  a  day  of  sport 

d^yf^^f  i^'  Gaapereaux  lay  about  a  mile 
behind  th^   Academy,  and^^.vas  one  of  the  most  * 
beautiful  places  in  all  that  beautiful  country.    The 
river  has  its  origin  in  several  lakes,  which  are  only 
afew  miles  away  from  tho  sea;  and  after  flowing  . 
from  these  between  lofty  hills  and  over  precipices^ 
whef e  It  falls  iir^icfe<^Hecataraets,. it  winds  itr- 
way  onward  towards  the  Basin  of  Minas: 
On  either  side  arise  steep  slopes,  and  through 


.i) 


\x 


QeJ 


V 


*^-- 


110 


THE  poys  OP  OBAND  VK&   SCHOOL. 


,    the  narrov.  valley  between  the.e  the  river  winds 
ord  bbid  r"  ^'"'"  '°  ■"''"^  P'--'  ^ 
mate  it  a  favonte  resort  for  the  angler.     The  nar 
:|0w  valley  „  dotted  with  trees  afd  groves  Z" 
/bo,.ders  of  the  little  stream  are  lined  wfth  wi  ,'ow; 
/    the  soil  ,8  e.xeeedingly  fertile,  and  amid  the  fll ' 
age  of  rees  and  the  green  vegetation  th.  co  tag   ' 
of  he  farmers  and  the  tapering  spires  peep  forth 
v,th  a  p.etnresq„e  beauty  whieh  adds  n!w  Charms 
to  th,s  romantic   spot.     A  road  winds  down  one 

lolt  h!  T'  T' ""  "^^  °»'-'  -'J  ^^ 

trTslo  f  T  "7  "  ''"■''ee,  whiohYormi  a  cen- 
tral  spot,  from  which  the  eye  may  wander  over  a 
andscape,  which  for  soft  and  quiet  IoveliIe~ 

But  to  venture  into  this  delightful  valley  wal 
not  so  safe  for  the  boys  of  the  Grind  Pr^  sch^oo7as 
was  desirable.     To  go  there  was  to  ^netrate  in W 
an  enemy's  country,  and  to  encountf  all  the  dan 
gers  of  such  an  enterprise.    For  the  feud  which 
raged  between  "town  and  gown"  extended  over  to 
Gaspereaux,  and  the  boys  of  this  valley  were  the 
chie    enemies  of  the  school.    The  winter  Z  the 
great  season  for  campaigning,  and  then  many  were 
rte  snow-ball  fights  wMcki^ok  place  betwL  the— 
».Ie  parties     Durin-g  the  other  seasonsTh    e 
was  a  kind  of  t^uce;   the  Gaspereaugians  were 


THEY  FISH. 


er  winds, 
es,  easily 
n  seasons 
The  nar- 
3ves,  the 
willows, 
the  foil. 
cottages 
ep  forth, 
f  charms 
)Wn  one 
his  road 
1^  a  cen- 
r  over  a 
3SS  may 
of  thoige 
I  by  the 

1 
ey  was 
jhool  as 
te  into 
le  dan- 

which 
aver  to 
sre  the 
'as  the 
f  were 
©n  the — 

there 
1  were 


111 


Gaspereaugians  would  invade  thp  An.T  ' 

vie,  and  jt  was  a  favorite  wait  f^^  „ii 

with  the  school.     Bruce  Jd  1/  '"""""""^ 

nn  [f'    ?r     "^"'^^  '^'""°^'  ^^d  the  boys  walked 

otaiS't:.trt!tt:i:-Th^'°--^^^ 

turning  up  stones  here  and  there     Pf.Jl  J  . 

t1  five  frr  r?^ ''"'  ^'"■^  t''-^-  ^n^ 

««>  hve.    At  length  they  grew  tired  of  fishing, 


■  ^mm\  iiipw     '    HL'  hj 


■*:* 


112 


THE   HOYS    op   CRAND    PRK   SCHOOL. 


and  as  thoy^lblt  linngry  tlioy  inado  a  firo,  and 
cooked  the  trout  on  tho  coals.  Tlioy  luid  no  salt, 
but  they  found  the  old  proverb  to  bo  true,  that  hun- 
ger is  the  host  seasoning-j  and  so,  being  excessively 
hungry,  they  all  found  the  broiled  trout  delicious. 

Ainnscnionts  and  occupations  like  those  took  up 
many  hours,  and  so  tho  time  passed,  till  at  length 
they  began  to  think  of  returning.  Tliey  decid- 
ed to  go  back  through  the  valley,  and  beard  th^ 
lion  in  his  den,  by  Hieing  tho  Gaspcreaugians  in 
their  own  retreat. 

Off  they  all  started  then,  and  takijig  tho  road, 
they  walked  along  down  tho  valley.  At  every 
step  they  expected  to  encounter  tho  enemy ;  but, 
to  their  surprise,  no  enemy  appeared.  Tho  boys 
whom  they  saw  from  time  to  time  were  too  small 
to  deserve  notice.  Reaching  at  last  tho  place 
where  the  road  wound  up  tho  hill  and  went  to 
Grand  Pre,  they  turned  aside,  and  strolled  along 
to  the  centre  of  the  village.  This  was  where  the 
bridge  crossed  tho  river*  It  was  a  beautiful  place. 
An  island  lay  midway,  and  just  above  tho  bridge 
was  another  island.  Her§  they  staid  for  some 
time,  and  fished  ;  but  no  fish  appeared.  What  was 
still  more  wonderful,  no  Gaspereaugians  appeared, 
either. 

They  could  not  account  for  it.    They  felt  disap. 
pointed.     It  seemed  like  a  slight.    After  waiting 


-:,■'* 


as  long  as  they  could,  they  had  to  turn  away  at 


"^ 


fire,  and 
no  salt, 
:liat  liun- 
!cs.sivoly 
licious. 
took  up 
it  length 
y^  (Jocid,- 
)ard  tli^ 


gians  in 


lio  road, 
t  every 
ly;  but, 
ho  boys 
)o  small 
0  place 
went  to 
d  along 
ere  the 
il  place, 
bridge 
r  some 
hat  was 
•peared, 

t  disap* 
waiting 


way  at 


^      THE  fiASPRRB^AUGIANS.      "^      ,  113 

last;  and  it  was  with  somotl.in-  liko  in,i;„„..- 
that  thoy  started  back  to  t1,„  Ac:,!::;  ■.     ''*'""''"" 
T  lio  rest  of  the  journey  wa.s  uneventful  •   l^f 
-l.e»  they  reaehed  the  eamp  in  the  wood     wh    o 

ba„,coaonesidewasste;::;,it;^X':e:! 

•    l"^  f"  "'■"■•  »'de,  a  little  lower  down,  was  a  In' 

tlo^  dope,  bare  of  tree,  and  green  with  ZhZI 

-.h„.i,efaee.,rndt;-^^^^^^ 

Thoy  wore  the  Gasporeaugians. 

J  lie  (iasporeaugians ! 

Now  thoy  understood  it  all     ThJa  h.« 
reason  why  they  had  Rono  throurf.>^'  ^""     " 
unmolested.    Thoy  had'not  b e^  ttb^:^!^' 
Simple  reason  thif  ihc.  n  i^rouoied,  tor  the 

^Ives  been  off  on  ,  ,^*'P''™'>"e™'^  ''»<!  «.em- 

enterpriso      Th,vw    .    ''^'  ""''   *'''^  ™'   "'"'r 
Bart  andQ  1        ^  ""■"'^■•ed  what  had  become  of 

J°=ifi^l^*3'«'?»"6'»M  like  a  tJiuadM^tarf,™ 


11*  THE  BOVS  OP  GRAND  mt  SCBOOl.. 


Till. 

Bart  and  Solomon/att  into  an  Ambish,  and  after  a 
dcepcrate  Resistance  are  n^ade  Prisoner.  -Zl 
and  Imimsonment-Bruc.  and  the  Gasper^ 
!fmns.-4  ChaUenge,  a  Conflict  and  n  V  ^ 

Pr^nc-s  burst  their  Bonds. -Their  FILM  _ 
Becovery  of  the  Spoils  of  War. 

EANWHILE  Bart  and  Solomon  Had  boon 
having  their  own  littlo  adventure.  Tiicy 
'""J 'eft  the  Academy  at  half  past  three  6o 

o'clock   Er?."""^  ""''^'  "^  *"«  "^"^-^  ^y  f"" 

o  clock.  For  this  purpose  Solomon  carried  a 
basket  of  provisions,  filled  with  those  multiform 
ana  very  attractive  dishes  which  his  rare  culinary 
genius  never  failed  to  create  whenever  a  fitting 
occasion  demanded  it.  ^ 

French  orchard,  and  descended  into  the  gully  and 

wl  d^^^'f""  "'^^  ■"'"°  "■«  -oods,td'^'th"„ 
walked  along  the  path  towards  the  camp 


w 


7 


Suddenly,  aa  they  came  to  a  place  wherethepath 
turned  to  the  left,  there  was  a  loud  shout;  SiL 


! 

, 

3 

h 

<! 

.^ 

1 

Ji 

'     ■! 

( 

i 

"\ 

D 
tl 


an 
Yc 


Bonds     I 
eremt- 


CAPTURE   OF   BART   AND    SOLOMON.,'  US 

T.,0,  ,4e  ^d;oi:r  •  irp;:nr  """•' 

fellows;    „„1'  tW  'thtv^'T",'""''''''    ""'^ 
upon  Bart  and  Sofompn  "         """'^^    ^''°'^-">- 

tumble  %u.,..M:„^farr:s.-n;Tt  ^ 

also,  as  he  sa,v  tw„"f  ■"  nf'''  ""'I  ^""'l'--- pang, 

Biit  in  spite  of  his  situation,  Bart  dih  nnf  f      ° 
nioment  lose  iioart.  ""^^  ^^^^  ^ 

^me  s'a id  '^^^r^^^d  ^^  -itJ  less  than 
MVouIdn'  tweira^^^^^^^^  '\''''  «asp^eaugians. 
Solomon?"  ^        '  '^°'''  *°  ^^^^^^  toe  and  old 

The  Gaspereaugians  looked  suiky  at  this, 
i  en  I  should  say,"  resumed  Bart.     "  Ten  ft^ 


116 


THE-  B0V3   (W  GjlAxn   pnfi  SCHOOL. 


Hero,  yo„„g  clu,p,_you  dry  up  I"  gro„lo,l  a 

voun.     1  '7  >'"""-'  I'm  a  n,utch  fur  any  ten  o' 
yonns.     Ihatwullljist.     So  dry  up  !  "    • 

"U'^qmaiight  to  keep  mo  tied  up,"  "rcsurtcl 
Bart  choorily.  ,  «  I  ,uig,,t  <3„  ^.,„  l.am'  nnd  I  "dv 
wonder  yo^.  don't  tio  my  foot  too.     v;.u  Jould'^ 
V  safe  .f  my  hands  wore  loo.o,  -  of  conrso.    B  t 
m    Gasporeaug.an  friends,  wl,y  bind  tho  l.and.s  of 
myagcdcompamon?    He  won't  Imrt  you.-    II„'s 
one  of  your  «w„  people.    Hi,  ,,„„,o  ;,  j,^  ,.„„^  ^/ 
charmmg. valley.-  You  all  know  old  Solomon   1 
guarantee  that  he  shall  not  harm  one  of  .Tu     So 
my  friends,  unbind  his  ageU,  hands."  J    '■ 

"  You  shut  your  mouth,"  growled  the  big.  Gas- 
pereaug,an,  "or  I'll  preeious  soon  make  you  I 
know  you  -young  fieri- no  Immbugl  YonVo 
ae  01^  that  blaekod  my  eye  with  a  snlvball  Z 

"  Was  it  you  ?  "  said  Bart,  with  a  laugh.     "  That 

hands  vvith  you.    And  did  I  blaek  your  oyo  ?    Ha 
ha,   ha  I    I  never  knew  that   before.     It  was  a 
capita   sot     I  remember,  now  that  you  mention      • 
■t.     But  look  r,ere  -  you  ga«-  me  something  back 
You  gave  me  a  snowball  that  set  my  nosO  bleeding 

on  V  M   "."^r"'  ""''  *''^*'  '  *'^'"''-.  ^-x  "bout  thf 
only  blood  that  was  shed  in  all  our  battles," 

Karr.  sr»/-»lrii  nrC4.u i    •   n 


Bari  spoke  with  such  jolly  carelessness,  andTu^h 
good  humor,  that  his' fun  was  contagion;,  and  the 


( 

1 
I 


8C 


He's 


/' 


last 


B^^RT  IS  SARCASTIC.  .      -^^j 

'"^  Jo  you  fuci  ?  "    "  *'     ^"^"""•"'  '">'  s^Uo  friend, 

,"J''""'''"fiJS"'"'nbn,,viU,agr;„ 
teoloriioii?"  ° 

"  Yos,  s'r." 

an  n       ^'''I^^'-'>JU'n  myself."  "^         ^^ 

l^ellow-citizons,"  said  n.rf  «       i 
tl.o  Gaspc-eaux  Va  le/  1  f;:  ^  T     ^''""r"'^"  "^ 
I«-it,gonorou.s,  or  noblo  o/^i '    °  ^"^  '''^'^'^y' 
I'and^  of  ,„y  „god  fn-o  ,d  "  *""''  *"  "^'"d  ">» 

I'o  sLan't  knock  down  li-o    ,    *'"™,  "^  '™'-''  ">"' 
Jou  lot  l,i„    loose      Cono  ■'"''" ''^^•""'■f 

''»on  of  you  tl,at  wilM  ,',■"''   '"'""''  *''«^«   ^ 

down  forl,,e  sake' If  l;;;;"'^,-"  ''^  knocked 
aged,  a  virtuous    -.n,!      "^''"'"S  "'«  woes  of  an 

A«c;„ ,  b:Ss:  .o,rdo.:-rr  ™'^"^'  ,■■"""'""«« 

He's  not  a  eommon'^  ,*"    I  """■    .""  '"  '»• 
jandrum."  '^         '     "'' "  "  f-rand  Pan- 


118 


i 


41  i 


THE  BQys  OF  GRAND  PBt   SCHOOL. 


too'f  ro':f'  "■?""*'""  ''-*«*  "f  provisions, 
what  I  2:".   ''™"'  f '  ''"y  -^'''  yo"  -^  take' 

.         This  was  received  with  roars  of  lanrrhtn,-    ♦ 
wh,oh  Bart  listened  with  unaltered  piacidft"'  '" 
Meanwhile,  as  Bart  had  been  speaking  he  h.d 

but  that  he  conid  work  his  hands  free     His  ;tl 
about tl.ir tyinghis hands madetho Ga  peroa  i 
ashamed  to  seenre  them-mofe  tightly     Som^rf 
«>e™^,ndeod  were  in  fav*  even 'of  uVnThim 
Bnt  Bart  had  been  hurriedly  bound,  and  his  hands' 
were  small,  so  that  to  slip  them  thr;ngh        bond 

this  but  kept  Ins  own  counsel,  and  held  his  hand, 

tightly  to  be  moved.    As  he  spoke  he  looked  all 
around  watchfully,  so  as   to  sfe  his  ehanfcel  :" 
escape.     To  shp  Ins  hands  was  easy  whenever  ho 
chose^    Had  .t  been  himself  alone  that  was  eoZ 
earned,  he  would  have  made  a  dash  into  the  woods 
and  coud   have  easily   eluded  pursuit.     But  he 
could  not  hjave  Solomon;  and  so  he  waited  in  the 
hope    hat  some  favomble  juncture  might  arr  ve 
when  he  eould  free  his  companion  also. 

Ihe  taspereaugians  now  led  them  away  across 
the  brook  that  ran  by  the  camp  and  took  ^p  tie  r 
station  on  th^  other  side,  on  that  smooth,  .1^1 

Bart  and  Solomon  were  put  inside  of  a  half-finished 


\ 


THE  CORDS   UNTIED. 

fcotly  well.     It  „;;2t  f  ^-  "•  ^^-  C-"  per. 

't.Jown  „„,v,  or  to  wait  un  r  ^^^  """*  P"" 

a-glit  como.  "'"  ^orao  more  boys 

In  the  midst  of  tliis  debits  n 
'-eno,  with  i,is  c„mpa„™7!!;„^™;«  «'™o  upon  tbe 

hastily  around,  bad  found  t'h  '^y- ""o-- looking 
•'nee  of  the  invading  *  "'","""^'^««  in  tbo  pres^ 
m  view  of  Bart  and  SM  ."  ''°'"'  J^™«o  in 

"e  dari^iy  and  n,o,:e  njf  ^^.^  ^'''^  ''■•»-  '-or-' 

t'°n  -n  his  face,  before  which  tho  ^     "  '"'^""S''-     ' 
as  first  seemed  to  quail  '         '^^-'Poreaugians 

"  Wliat  do  you  winf  I 
Brace,  at  last.  '  ''"•"'  ^■'"'  ^Hows?"  said 

There  was  no  renlv  f 
■  «yes  of  all  the  GaspereauJir"'^  '  '"'■"'"^-     The 

''iiZ'  ■""  - "-  anrf;:^ """  '^-^^^  -p-  «•« 

At  this  moment  Bar^  fir.  7-   ',.    • 
*-pPed  .his  hand    o«  o%7'rn'''""™''^«-«d, 
"ntied  those  of  Solomon  ^°"*'  '"'^  1«i*ly 

pSufxt"'^;:::'r?  r-^ '» ^°  ^  --  •■ 

."on'^starttillldo.    S,  not";'?/"'"'*-   J^"*- 

~-^^nXrrr;f  ^'--  ^^°"^"' 

ohance  to  start       "''''  ""  "'-"""d,  waiting  for  a 


120 


THE  BOYS  OP  GRAND  PRE. SCHOOL. 


^    mora    .  ,o,d,,  and  imperious  voicotng  J^  I"" 

■     you'S'     ""'  ^°"  '^'"""^  ""'"S  ''«» ■'   i4  with 
J  ou  aU,-^very  one  of  you  i "  \j 

Bruce  was  tall,  and  broad-shouldered  ■Mltr.ut 
and  muscular.    His  hat  sat  loosely  on  li  hi  "  I  ^ 

awina.  1.-  1  ^  nHmbers,  instead  of  over- 

vuoie  vigor  of  his  soul,  and  stirred  up  his  nronH 

bold  sp,„t  to  a  scornful  selPassertion  ^        ' 

A  movement  now  took  place  -imono.  ti    '  r, 

-^XKioAr^  ^^"-^  Brum:: 

and  sullen  face.    He  was  ta^l^  a  d  tto    eTtfa'n 

^^n^f  ;:^^:':?nsr"'''^^  '^^'--'^  «'«''=^- 

with  f„lL  !   ^  •  "  ^PP'-oached,  Bruce  stood,   ' 


« 


^ItdrlE^F-'-s^ione; 


What  can  I  do  for  you?" 

■ 


^ 


'out  their 
i»g„  pre^. 
md  once 

v^y•  with 


¥ 


id'^  stout, 
e"ad,„and 
is  brofid 
his  thin 
d  like  a 
glow  of 
'd  down 
of  over- 
lost  the 
proud, 


THE  WRESTLmo   MATCH. 


121 

.    Tho  big  fellow  clambered  „n  ti      , 

in  front  of  Bruce  '^  "'"  <"'»»'  "nd  stood 

"  ^har's   Bruco   Rawdon  '  "   „  • ,      ' 

■■ound.^nd  ,,rcte„d;ng  ,„,t  to  t        '","''  '"*»g 
t'oro  before  b;„,    MvC  '°  '^""»'  "'••"  I'o  was' 
t'lat  youns  brag  on  '    ]>"      •  ""■:  ^'■«<^«  R'^vdqn 
^v««t  to-J,ev  a  trial  w'itl,  h  1       1      "'"  ''"«'  *■■  I 
■      "  %  good  fellow  "    '  d  nr     T'  *°  ^""''"o-" 
don.  and  !'„  q„i,„  ^  ^t  !     ^''"  ^""^-^  ft™- 

We.e,^tabraggi„;'ea™;V™'''''^-»yone. 

"ho's  tl,c  best  n,a„.    o'v  t^    "    "'«'"  "ocide 
■ny  fine  feller.     !-„      "^  tf'  '^"«  °0-our  eloso, 
Y-.  ™ngh  aa  a  ba"-^    :™"^,  ^-"-^d  rough.' 
"-All  right  »  .said  R  '""  I  ''«•" 

"^  "ad  flu'ng'offlt  h  t'clTa  "f '  '°'  '"  -'  ""•-'« 

„"'«l^eepn,yd„dao;"tid:fT*'""'- 
"onVtf,«._  that's  b,  way  of  if^'^f,!P'=^«a„gian; 
And  saying  this  iJh        ,    defyin'." 
Upon   Ihif  Z     ,'rf,  r  '-'  -  the  ground, 
grapple.  ^'"'    ''''amp.oDs   prepared   to 

»-id!t\t7orc:- 

OnQr^^ .'"•*'•      Stood  nn  fT,«   J-  


/ 


bnm.     The  ■'_£.  Off'  « ,,  ^,  P"'''  "'as  full  to  the 
Gaspereaugians  etood'ab^utfT  *''"''""■    T'"' 


\. 


122     THE  BOYS  OF  GRA:ND  PR6  SCHOOL.         1 

<,<    /■■■',«•.. 

For  a   fo^^f  pocondS  tlioy  stood  with  extended 
amp,  warily  regarding'  one  anotlier.     Tlien  Bruce 
made  a  plunge  forward,  and  before  the  other  could.  " 
guard  against  it,  he  hacl  'caught  him  around  the 
waist,  under  his  arms.      -  ^ 

Bruce  had  got  the."  underhold."  - 

The  two, were  now  locked  in  a  close  embrace, 
and  for  a  few  moments  the  big  Gaspercaugian  * 
made  tremendous  efforts  to  throw  his  antagonist. 
But  the  efforts  were  unsuccessful.  Bruce  did  hot 
exert  himself  much,  but  quietly  evaded  the  efforts 
of  tlie  other,  and  still  held  his  adversary  in  an  un- 
relaxing  grasp. 

The  Gaspereaugians  now  began  to  look  anxious. 
Bruce's  face  was  so  calm,  his  action  was  so  quiet, 
he  seemed  to  make  so  little  effort  in  spite  of  the 
immense  -exertions  of  his  antagonist,  that  he  ap- 
peared  to  show  some  vast  reserve  of  strength  in  ' 
store,  ready  to  be  put  forth  at  some  ^dden  - 
moment. 

The  Gaspereaugian  was,  in  truth,  a  big,  burly 
fellow,  whose  muscles  had  been  developed  by  a 
h'fe  of  hard  labor  on  a  farm  ;  but  he%vas  slow,  and 
clumsy,  and  ignorant  of  all  skill  in  wrestling.  Now, 
Bruce  was  an  adept  in  almost  every  active  sport; 
while  his  limbs  were  .so  admirably  knit,  and  his 
muscular  development  was  so  splendid,  that  even 
on  the  score  of  brute  strength  he  soon  gave  evi- 
=^enee  that  he  overftiatched  the  othefy  atlhrsame^^ 
time,  be  made  it  apparent  that  his  strength  was 


BnuCE   CONQUERS. 


123 


only  half  put  fortl..  Tho  Gaspereaugiana  grow 
more  anxious  every  moment,  while  Arthur,  Tom, 
and  Fn\  who  liad  never  for  aninstant  doubted  the 
result,  felt  their  excitement  increasing  to  an  un- 
endurable degree.  - 

Bruce  soon  showed  what  his  idea  bad  been  in 
these  maifteuvres.     He  had  now  worked  himself 
around,  so  that  his  back  was   towards   the  popl, 
and    the   Gaspereaugian    had    made    one   violent 
effort  to  push  him  in  backwards.     It  was  in  vain. 
Bruce  stood  like  a  rock.     Then  suddenly,  as  the 
Gaspe^eaugian's  efforts  slackened  somewhat,  Bnice 
flung  h,s  nghtarm  around  him  lower  down,  and  by 
t)ne  quick  and  tremendous  effort  of  strength  rais'ed 
him  up  into  the  air.    In  an  instant  the  fellow's  Icffs 
spun  upward  ;  he  appeared  to  turn  a  back  summer- 
set,  and  then, -down  he  went,  all  sprawling,  on 
his  back  with  his  arms  and  legs  extended  wildlv 
straight  into  the  pool  I  ^' 

"  No;  sound  of  joy  or  sorrow  -'  " 
Arose  from  either  bank, 

But  friends  and  foes,  in  dumb  surprise, 
With  parted  lips  and  straiwng  ejes, 

Stood  gazing  where  he  sank." 

Thus  far  the  two  prisoners  had  remained  in  con- 
finement. They  might  easily  have  escaped  ,•  their 
hands  were  free,  and  no  one  was  paying  any  atten- 
tion  to  jhem,j)ut  they  remained  ther^.    golomoi^-- 


would  noi-goliUBart  led  the  way;  and  Bart  was 
too  tremendously  excited  by  tbe  struggle  tb  think 


s. 


^y 


124     THE  BOYS  OF  GRAND  PR^;  SCHOOL. 


f 
♦ 


of  moving.     He  stood  there  rooted  to  the  spot 
staring  with   intense   interest.     At  last  the  end 
came,  and  as  Bart  saw  the  Gaspereaugian's  legs  go 
tossing  up,  and  saw  him  fall  splashing  into  the  pool 
he    touched    Solomon,  and,  followed    by  him    he  ■ 
darted  into  the  thick  shrubbery,     ihe  basket  of  ^^ 
provisions  stood  there  neglected ;  thi^Bart  seized 
as  he  passed,  and  gave  it  to  Solomon.  ^After  this 
they  made  a  circuit  to  get  to  the  camp. 

Meanwhile  the  discomfited  wrestler  had  scram- 
bled  to  his  feet  in  the  pool  of  water,  and  stood  for     ' 
a  time  up  to  his  waist,  sputtering,  blowing,  and 
^aspmgf^r  breath.     The  boys  stood  looking  on  • 
and   Bruce   watched    him    quietly,   not    knowing 
whether  the  struggle  would  be  renewed  or  not 
But  the  Gaspercaugian  did  not  make  any  advances 
towards   resuming  the  conflict.     He  himself  had 
been  foiled  so  completely  in  his  most  desperate 
eflorts,  and  the  tremendous  strength  of  those  arilis 
which  had  raised  him  in  the  air  and  flung  him  into 
tlie  pool  was  so  formidable  to  his  imagination,  that 
^0  was  not  at  all  inclined  for  another  trial.     The 
.ne  trial  had  sufficed.     So^e  slouched  off,  with  his 
su  ky  face  bent  down,  and  soon  joined  his  crest-      ' 
lallen  companions. 

Scarcely  had  he  joined  them  than,  a  shout  was 
heard  near  the  camp.  Bruce  and  the  other  boys 
turned  and,  to  their  delight  and  surprise,  «n.w  J^.^ 

anrBoTomon,  with  the  basket  of  provisions 

"Hurrah  1 "  cried  Arthur;  «  why,  Bart,  we  were 
Vraid  you'd  come  to  grief."     . 


r**.-' 


AFTER   THE  YICTORy. 


125 


am'bS"'  ""  '"""■  "«"  "«  --«  "P  -d  fell  i^to  a„ 

gavf  rise  tonolVoTkr'r  :'  '1^"*'  ^""^ 
the  feet,  not  merolvthat  IZ  y.1       '""'  ■"=''  "'^^' 

they  had  brou.M^tetSirS' '''^' 
Suddenly  Bart  looked  at  his  watol.  '^• 

"  Brethren  of  the  'B.O  W  C  •«      jV 
only  sixteen  minutes  after  Tour'   Thn^    I  ""'^ 
many  adventiiro<,       „<»  I  ""^'  "ft""'  »o 

captivities,!^;'  C!'^'^'"  "t"^''^''  fights,  and 

appoin.me;t,a:da  enotrortt    '"^"'""^  »" 
behind  time  ''  **"  '""««  minutes 

caS:n^rrr:is:ir"^  *^« 

their  luBch  as  coolly  as  ifr„*L       f^f  "'^  *"  *^^^ 

This  was  too  much  for  ?hlr^  '""'  ^"P^'"'^- 
was  a  bitter  mortmLl  f    ^"^P-^-o^-g-ans.    It 

defeat  of  their"  0^^     jf"!"  "''".T^  *''^ 
^^^y^ag  with  them  TK«,v   i,„.i._.         ,   ^™*"^'  — 


Tjno.  ^:.i.  *t -  -  J;!  -"^? £oacn  tneir  friends 

reach  Jitn^„*th^t  ""''''*'■  -<»  »"^^ 
actions  rt  a  irch  *'^  ''"'  *''«  1°'<"  P«J- 


^.:- 


i-... 


126 


THE  BOYS  OF  GRAND  PR6  SCHOOL. 


They  stood  in  that  state  of  mind  and  body  which 
is  expressed  by  the  remarkable  word  —  dumb- 
foundered. 

But  what  cauld  they  do  ? 

Hostilities  did  not  seem  to  be  very  attractive 
now,  for  the  defeat  of  their  champion  had  greatly 
changed  the  aspect  of  affairs.  To  stand  there 
stupidly  looking  on  was  also  not  quite  the  thipg. 
They  hac^  come  to  indulge  in  -a  general  triumph 
over  the  school  — and  this  was  the  end  I  They 
hesitated  for  some  time,  and  stood  in  doubt. 

But  their  indecision  was  at  last  ended.  Their 
champion  walked  off  silently  and  sulkily;  and 
they,  seeing  the  leader  go,  slowly  filed  away  after 
him.    And  so  — 

Exeunt  omnes  Gaspereatigiensea  J 


'^' 


A 


i« — .. .  ;   A 


3dy  which 
—  dumb- 


JN  CAMP. 


127 


attractive 
d  greatly 
nd  there 
he  thipg. 
triumph 
II  They 
dt. 

I  Their 
ily;  and 
!vay  after 

ienseaj 


# 


^oar,  and  another  C/me  -  ^n^v!     •     -~;^^other 
~~  Sudden,  amazinr^n    1  '^''"'''''^^''^^^''' 

founding  ^^ZZ^'^^'^^'J  "^^  "^^^^^^  -- 

■ 

'^n  )t^"^°^  '"^""  "  ^^'y  P'^asant  repast 
-  tnrkeys,  mince  n.Vo       "j"""-     ^o  had  chickens, 

-js'toTe:  ior^Cbo?;;  r^'"  *""  -- 

about;  for  Bart  had  tn        T     "''  '"""'S''  *"  ^Ik 
i-  ^tivitraLlrnl  hTt:":.'"  *«  ^'^^  "^ 

.^r^perfe^^^  J^  ||j  to  act  i«  t,ho..glf  they  ^ 

Javing  gained  thS  te^l^'r '«-« "'^ '  *"'' 
^^-«„e  to  heighten  ri^:;-:^f- 


..m^ 


-V-----^ 


'0t-  -    '  '  ■  '    iWlf''  "  ^- 


128 


TUB  COYS  OP  GRAND  PRHJ  SCHOOL. 


4 


display  of  triumph.  Tlio  triumph  that  was  in  their 
hearts  was  enough.  .They  knew  also  that  the  Gas* 
pereaugians  Avould  feel  an  additional  mortification  , 
when  they  reached  home  ;  ■  for  then  they  would 
there  learn  that  Bruco  and  his  party  had  penetrated 
to  the  very  centre  of  their  territory,  and  had  vir-, 
tually  done  defiance  by  lingering  so  long  by  the 
bridge. 

By  tliat  memorable  exploit  the  camp  in  the  woods 
had  now  become  hallowed.     Henceforth  it  was  to 
bear  in  their  eyes  the  charm  of  historic  associa- 
tions. ,  They  felt  that  their  labor  in  building  it  had 
not  been  in  vain.     In  truth  it  was  a  pleasant  spot ; 
and  apart  from  any  other  associations,  its  own  quiet 
beauty  was  sufficient  to  give  it  strong  attractions. 
Its  walls  arose  above  them,  surmounted  by  its  roof, 
all  interwoven  with  the  fragrant,  balsamic  branches 
of  fir  trees.    They  had  chosen  fir  in  preference  to 
others  for  the  reason^  that  the  spines  of  the- fir 
branched  will  cling  for  months  before  drooping; 
whereaa  the  hemlock,  the  spruce,  the  pine,  and 
most  other  trees  of  that  kind,  are  of  such  a  nature 
that  their  spines  will  not  cling  to  the  severed 
branch  for  much  more  than  a  week.     And   here 
were  the  dark  green  walls,  cool,  and  shadowy, 
and  fragrant.     Over  the  floor  was  a  thick,  deep 
carpeting  of  soft  moss,  suitable  for  a  seat,  or  for.  a 
"^cbucli.  Outside,  alt^w  sceue^was  shut  in  by  the 
lofty  trees  which  bordered  the  little  dell.     Just 
behind  them  the  brook  bubbled  and  babbled  over 


J 

s.*,* 


~i^ 


AN  INTEBBUPTION.  jgft 

bathe  in,  aud  J  ^"^x:^o„r^"'''■«'•  *» 

surronnding  tree,  whil  T  a  *''*''  *o  those 
like  surface  Partre;.  ''u'"''''  '"  ''»  """or- 
bordered  on  one    de  wltiT"/  *'  '^"'^  P^'^^d  on, 

by  that  grass/L:^  wh  relrtr:";  *'""«'«■• 
Gaspereaugiana  had  sTood     0„   *     ''o'o»g"«ring 

trees,  past  the  knoll  thro"  h  ^  I  '""°*'  P*"  *^'' 
™til  at  lengthrt  wa  Tot  I  ™'''''''''"'°«'«'' 
But  amid  all  the,«T„     ,         J'^'"  ""  *be  forest 

was  dearesf  tlTe  -^01'^^  ^'t' -"-" 
they  had  fixed  over  th«^  **""  '^'''o.'    ' 

rial  of  the  mat  L       1°",''  "*  o""=«  a  memo 
deeds  fn  theTtur!     It"""?  '"  "dventurou, 
fish.-    They  had  fo    a  Jh-^"^  *""'  •'*'"  o*"  *■>«  big 
its  destination  Jd^e;:  th""  "1"''^^'^  "'  "^ 
to  the  Museum,  butTt  last  ".^'.rr*  "'^  ^'^'^^  " 
there.  '  There  it  accord tl'';:'^'  °°  ?""=-8  it 
antly  with  its  triangular  Sh'^  ^""^  P'"*«- 
o«e  to  enter.         ^  ^"''  ""<'  '""'*"?  every 

".oIThttli'a'p:" C  "'  ''"'"  """='>-  -"''  Sol. 

fi^"  «^P  to.eve™S' "'""'  "  •  ""^^"'  P"'  « 
9 


-ir^ 


II ""■ 


:..;  "jr. '".'■- 


,*«''■ 


130  THE  BOYS  OF  GRAND  PE|:SCH0DI^ 

It  was  a  distant  souud. 

Now  a  distant  sound  must  have  been  very  pecu- 
liar to  have  caused  such  excitement  as  this. 
Very  well  — this  was  very  peculiar. 
It  was  a  harsh,  dissonant  roar,  a  noise,  in  fact, 
that  could  not  be  called  a  roar  exactly,  but  some- 
thing half  Avay  between  a  roar  and  a  howl,  repeat- 
ing itself  over  and  over,  and  pealing  from  afar  upon 
their  startled  ears  in  tremendous  echoes.    There 
was  no  mistaking  th^t  .sound.    It  was  the  same  as 
the  one  that  had^o  startled  them  6n  the  memora- 
ble night  of  the  money-digging,  ap^  had  sent  them 
flying  in  confusion  from  the  spot.  , 

,-The  boys  all  looked  at  one  another  with  glances 
of  deep  meaning.     Not  one  of  them  was  fright- 
ened  now.     Solomon  was  only  curious ;  in  him  the 
broad    day  destroyed   any '  superstitious   feding. 
:   Had  it  been  dark,  he  would  have  been  as  terrified 

as  he  was  before. 

The  noise  was  repeated  over  and  over  as  they 
listened,  and  at  last  it  ceased.  It  sounded  like  the 
conglomeration  of  the  bellow  of  a  bull,  the  roj^r  of 
a  lion,  the  yell  of  a  madman,  and  the  shriek  ot  a 
steam-whistle,  intermixed  with  other  harsh  and  dis- 
cordant  noisea  that  can  scarcely  be  defined;  and 
the  whole  result  was  one  which  can  certainly  not 
be  likened  to  anything  at  all.    -  i 

«  That  8ftttf<^  it  U^  said  Bariat  last. 


«  What  Tasked  Tom. 

"  Well,  iw\  been  giving  the  Gaspereaugians  the 


1 


\ 


A  SEARCH. 


131 


3ry  pecu-- 
is. 

e,  in  fact, 
but  some- 
irl,  repeat- 
afar  upon  , 
B.  There 
e  same  a3 
3  memora- 
sent  them 

bh  glances 
ras  fright- 
in  him  the 
s  feeling. 
IS  terrified 

3r  as  they 
ed  like  the 
,he  roJ^r  of 
shriek  of  a 
•sh  and  dis- 
ifined;  and 
iitainly  not 


augians  the 


wZl':^"'"^*°'''"'''™V' said  Bruce.     "I 
was  going  to  propose  a  watch  t^-niKht  to  see  ;Cw„ 
eould  get  at  the  bottom  of  it      Thi,  ;!  1    t     7   ' 
we  caa  examine  it  by  daylight  "  ^^f' 

Mfs  the  very  same  noiae,"  eaid  Arthur.         '  ■^■ 
it's  IZrj;  t^:  ^^  f  -id  Phi,,  -oni^ 
burst  forth  just  heh^d^e'lttthr/a  "*"'l'  ^ 

the  ora  .rilzzn:;z;;tzi:t 

these  words  they  aU  started  off       ^     '         '"* 

^o^t^rSsefBHr^^^^  . 

ole  darky  ef  you  won^t  It?    DU  heTrint  d""     ^ 

long^  "    ^^  ^«  »  Granpander  any  ~ 

But  the  boya  hurried  away,  a,,d  Solomon's  voice 


,,-,  iiiif-i.  I  ■  '  ".iiipi^iyp 


I   II  I  I   iW'i 


4.'. 


X32 


THE  BOY-8  OP  GRAND  PRE  SCHOOL. 


sounded  upon  the  empty  air.  Thereupon  he  began 
collecting  the  dishes  and  eatables,  and  replacing 
them  in  his  basket. 

Leaving  Solomon  thus,  the  boys  hurried  on  in  a 
state  of  great  excitement.  The  mystery  had  thus 
far  weighed  heavily  on  all  their  spirits.  In  Bruce 
it  may  have  been  superstitious  feeling  which  made 
it  oppressive  to  him ;  but  in  the  others  it  was  the 
mortification  of  their  retreat  and  panic,  and  the  un- 
pleasantness of  not  being  able  to  accotint  for  the 
cause.  The  sounds,  as  far  as  they  could  judge, 
seemed  to  cOme  from  the  old  French  orchard ;  but 
Bruce  insisted  that  it  issued  from  the  woods.  This 
formed  the  si^bject  of  loud  debate  among  \them  as 
they  went  on.  \  The  majority,  Wwev'er,  were  against 
Bruce,  and  thought  that  it  wa^  farth^gr  ^W^y  than 
the  limit  of  the*  woods.  \ 

"  Can  it  be  aiiy  of  the  boys,  after  all  ?  "  said  Bart, 
as  they  went  al^g  the  path.  "  Can  E%J  have  in 
his  possession  a^y  very  remarkable  kind  of  fish- 
horn  or  fog-horn  \  " 

"  Pat  ?  Nonsenipe  ! "  said  Arthur.  "  Do  you  think 
that  any  power  ij)f  Pat's  could  produce  such  a 
noise?" 

"  0, 1  don't  knowl  He  may  have  a  private  pocket 
^team  engine,  an(|l  occasionally  let  off  steam  to  amuse 
himself."  \ 

"You'll  have  to  iiunt  farther  than  t*at,"  said 


4 


1 
c 
t 
h 


Bruce,  seriously. 

"Why,  man  alive ^"  cried  Bart;  "you  don't 
think  now  that  there's  anything  in  it  —  do  you  t " 


—  - 

-  '-+ 

■^    >■'%, 

e  began 
eplacing 

[  on  in  a 
lad  thus 
n  Bruce 
3h  made 
was  the 
the  un- 
for  the 
1  judge, 
rd;  but 
!s.  This 
them  as 
)  against 
^ay  than 

id  Bart, 

have  in 

of  fish- 

3U  think 
such  a 

3  pocket 
;o  amuse 

,t,"  said 


AT  THE  CELLAR. 


133 


m  don't 
)  you  t " 

--'  -  -i  - 


4 


•^  Bruce  said  nothing.  '  .       >  ^ 

They  all  hurried  along  the  path,  peering  into  the 

But  there  was-none. 

It,  they  ascended  the  8teep  slope  on  the  other  eide 
This  brought  tliem  to  the  old  French  Orchard,  and 
to  the  very  cellar  wluch  had  been  the  scene  of  iheir 
memorable  midnight  operations.  Looking  down 
into  the  cellar,  they  could  see  the  traces  of  their 
work  very  plainly.  They  had  filled  in  the  hole  as 
well  as  they  could,  but  the  ground  bore  vlible 
marks  of  having  been  turned  up. 

R»  J«T  "'"  *""!  1'"°'"'  '"'™  •'«<>"  »P  ''<'■■«."  said 
iiart,    they  must  have  noticed  this." 

"I  don't  think  that  follows,"  said  Phil.  "Thev 
wouldn't  notice  it,  in  my  opinion." 

"  0  don't  you  believe  that.  The  marks  of  dig- 
ging  there  are  enough  to  make  any  fellow  notice 

"  Well,  what  if  they  do  ?  "  said  Bruce.  «  Thev'B 
never  think  that  we  had  anything  to  do  with  it. 
So  we  needn't  bother  our  heads  about  thkt " 

b„.„       ^^  '''".'*'''  '^'"""■'  "°»''«  »f  «>«■"  have 
Wn  up  here  since  they  got  back.  'Bogud  and 


Z^  "^  *«  f « ;  »<»  the  olhefs  have  taken  t? 
W  ^."       "      "  ""^  ''""""  **"'  ''»^«  "««" 


134  THE   BOYS   OP  GRAND   PRE  SCHOOL. 

"  For  my  part,"  said  Bart,  "  I  should  like  to  try 
that  hole  again.  I  don't  believe  there's  anythipg 
there,  but  at  the  same  time  I  don't  like  to  leave  a 
thing  unfinished,  especially  where  it's  been  broken 
off  the  way  this  was.  And  what'sAmore,  I'm  bound 
,to  have  another  turn  at  it."  \ 

"  And  so  am  I,"  said  Phil.  ^  , 

"  And  I,"  said  Arthur. 

"  I'll  be  there,"  said  Tom.       ^ 
"  Well,  boys,  I'll  be  there,  too,"  said  Bruce,  «  and 
we'll  omit  Solomon  this  time,  and  ^^aptain  Corbet. 
We  may^as  well  do  it  by  daylight^' 

"  Of  course,"  said  Bar^,  '^  it's  all  humbug  to  dig 
at  night.  It's  ten  times  as  much  trouble,  and  then 
we  lose  our  sleep.  ^We  can  come  up  early  some 
morning  and  do  it.  At  the  same  time,  I'm  glad  we 
had  that  night.  It's  something  to  look  back  upon." 
"  That's  all  very  w^ll,"  said  Phil ;  «  but  I'd  like 
to  know  why  we  can't  hear  that  noise  again.  If 
it  came  from  this  hole,  or  from  the  old^rench 
orchard,  now's  the  time  for  it.  Here  w^re  all 
reader.     So  roar  away,  somebody  !  " 

Tbey  all  sat  down  now  on  the  grass,  and  listened 
for  a  while  an  silence.  They  could  look  over  the 
guUy  on  one  side,  and  part  of  the  play.ground  on 
the  other.  On  three  sidds  the  woods  encircled 
them.  Running  along  the  play-ground  on  one  side, 
where  the  woods  ended  was  a  pasture  field_belong- 


inr  to  BiT^Porter.    Thfs  pasture  ¥eld  could  not  be 
seen  from  the  place  where  they  were. 


\: 


^ 


A   SECOND   TIME. 


135 


H 


Thoy  sat  hero  for  some  time,  waiting  for  the 
.  sound  to  arise  again ;  and  as  they  sat  here,  Solomon 
emerged  from  the  woods,  climbed  the  slope,  and 
advanced  towards  them.  He  had  replaced  all  the 
dishes  and  all  the  provisions  in  the  basket,  and  was 
now  carrying  it  back.  ", 

"Dar,"  he  said,  as  lie  put  it  down.  ''It  beats 
me.  Don't  see  de  use,  no  how,  fur  an  ole  darky 'to 
go  ai|^  broil  his  ole  brack  head  off  cookin  and  roastin 
all  sorts  ob  tings  if  dey  won't  be  eaten.  An  tings, 
too,  what  got  captured  by  de  Gasperojutns  I  An 
what  we  skewered  safe  back  out  ob  dere  plunderin 
bans  I  Besides,  —  blubbed  bruddren,  if  you  don't 
eat  my  tings  I  feel  kind  o'  slighted  —  I -feel  it  a 
pusnul  insult.     Dat's  so."  '         - 

"0,  well,  Solomon,  you  know  why  we  cleared 
out.  So  you've  brought  the  basket  Well,  why 
can't  we  go  to  work  here  ?  Come,  boys,  let's  rise 
superior  to  circumstances,  and  finish  our  lunch.'^ 
^  Bart's  proposal  was  greeted  with  a  shout  of  jpy, 
and  once  more  Solomon,  grinning  with  pride  and 
delight,  spread  out  before  them  his  dishes\nd 
eatables. 

They  had  just  begun ;  they  had  just  lifted  to 
their  still  hungry  and  unsatisfied  mouths  a  morsel 
or  two,  selected  from  among  th»-dainties  spread 
out  by  aolomon ;  they  had  just  become  familiar  ' 
once  morfl  with^jthe^  delicious  flavor  of  some^of  hi. 


pet  dishes,  —  when  suddenly,  without  -warning,  and 
altogether  unexpectedly^  there  burst  fopth  again 


^ 


/' 


136 


THE  BOYS   OP  GRAND   PR^  SCHOOL. 


' 


that  roar  for  which  they  had  been  waiting  go  long. 
Harsh,  dissonant,  ferocious,  resonant  in  its  bellow- 
ing intonations,  it  burst  upon  their  ears,  now  much 
nearer  than  when  they  had  heard  it  at  the  c4mp 
and  seeming  very  nearly  as  loud  as  it  had  been  on' 
that  eventful  night.     The  sound  also  seemed  to 
come  from  Dr.  Porter's  pasture  field.    One  moment 
they  hstened  —  that  moment  assured  them  of  the 
true  direction.    Tfee  next  moment  they  flung  down 
their  plates, ^and  knives,  and  forks;  and  away  they 
went,  like   madmen,  over  the  field  towards  the 
pasture. 

Solomon  slowly  rose  to  his  feet  and  looked  aftVf"^ 
them,  with  his  head  bent  a  little  forward,  and  his 
hands  clasped  b^bre  him,. 

"  Well,  well,  wek  !  "  he  ejaculated,  while  an  ex- 

pression  of  uiiutterkble  disgust  came  over  his  dark 

face.    «  Well,  well,  ^Vell  I  ob  all  de  contrairy  chiPen 

dat  I  ebber  did  seel  \  Nebber  in  de  gracious  sakes 

does  dey  know  whei  dere  weU  off.    Heah's  de 

second  time  dey  pitch  deredinnas  away.    An  what    ^ 

^t  dmna  cost  me  —  ob  trouble  and/  hard  work  I 

But,  0,  dear,  down  it  koes  — O,  y^'s— jes  so  — 

flung  It  all  away —an  leab.  dis  ole  ni^ga  to  pick  all 

It  up  agen.     Pity  de  GaspVojums  didn't  keep  de 

basket.^  Dey'd  'predate  de  ^nna,  any  how  — dat's 

so.     'Tain't  de  trouble,"  he  grumbled' on,  as  he 

picked  up  the  thiiigs  again,  and  piit  them  in  the 

hftpkpt,,  — "'tnip^t  jft"  •       -         ^ 


pr|ciation.    Cp^u*folk8  likes  to  be 'preciWed.    So 


f 


m 


I 


f 


THE  MYSTERY  SOLVED. 


137 


does  whi^  folks.     Dar's  do  doctor.     Mo  an  him 
likes  to  be^|)reciated,  — ^ut  dis  sort  ob  ting's  not 
greeble.     Do  day'll  come  when  dey'll  like  to  hab 
one  ob  ole  Solomon's  dinnas." 

So  he  went  on,  picking  up  the  things,  growling 
and  grumbling  to  himself  all  the  time,  until  at 
length  he  had  filled  the  basket  again,  and  went  off 
m  the  direction  where  the  boys  had  gone,  to  see 
what  had  become  of  them,  and  with  a  vague  idea 
that  the  « dinna  "  would  be  resumed  somewhere 
larther  on. 

He  found  the  boys  over  in  the  pasture  field, 
lookmg  a  little  mystified. 

The  noises  had  ceased.  A  few  cows,  were  quiet- 
ly  grazmg;  Mid  among  them  was  an  animal  which 
was  very  femiUar  by  name,  but  which  none  of 
them  had  ever  before  seen  in  the  flesh.  It  was  a 
simple,  domestic  animal,  in  some  countries  the  most 
common  of  all ;  but  to  these  boys  it  was  a  novelty. 
Mow  It  had  got  here  wa"^lgo  a  wonder ;  for  they 
had  no  idea  that  it  was  here>«nd  in  th^ir  surprise 
they  forget  about  the  nbi^es.     \ 

And  what  kind  of  an  animal  might  this  haVe 
been  ? 

A  quiet,  a  domestic,  agreeable  animal:  in  fact, 
only  a  httle  donkey.  , 

^"Solomon,"  said  Bart,  as  he  came  up,  "who  " 
owns  the  -'--^ — ** " 


%       H 


So 


"De^doctor,"  said  Solomon. 

"Why,  how  in  tlie  wprld  did  he  happen  to  get 
one?"  ''-■    V  ^'^  o 


'9 


'^ 


-n 


'<r    ^-^-r-'t:';    V\ii^  ,     , 


::'h 


i  ■'  I 


h-*- 


> " ./  /n 


m.  ■- 


-\'^- 


\     '' 


■«tl'-^r» 


'^ 


138 


THE  BOYS  OP  GBAND  Pb6  SCHOOL. 


"  He  bought  him." 

"  Yes,  but  what  did  he  -w^ant  of  it  ?  "  ^ 

"  0,  for  de  chiren  to  play  with." 
^''That's  queer.     I  didn't  know  there  was  one." 
O,  you  see  de  doctor  got  him  de  time  you  was 
off  on  de  scursium.     Ole  scissa  grinda  come  long, 
an  de  doctor  bought  de  donkey.    Ole  scissa  grinda 
.beat  de  donkey  so,  dat  de  doctor  ^t  him,  an  means 
to  keep  him  for  de  chiPen.     Dat's  all  " 
•     "Poor  old  Neddy,"   said   Bart     "He's   pretty 
lean.     But  he's   all   right  now..    This   will   be  a 
Paradise  for  him.    But  I  saV,  boys  -  I  wonder  how 
he  ri^es.     I've  never  boek  on  a  donkey's  back  in 
my  life.     Have  you  ?'|^    A- 
.    '"  And  I  nevei;  8aw|,ne  before,"  said  Bruce      '^ 
can't  say  I  admir|  liiM  much." 
•  ^^  "Well,  neithe^id  I,  for  that  matter,"  said  Bart : 
and  for  .that  ^vy  reason  I  want  to  have  a  ride  on 
mm." 

Saying  this,  Bart  went  up  to  the  donkey     The 
patient  a^mal  did  not  move,  but  calmly  went  on 
gating  a  delicious  thistle  that  was  under  his  nose 
Bart  got  on  his  back.     The  donkey  ate  on,  ap^ 
parentis,  unconscious  of  the  weight.    Bart  caught 

head  '''^''"^  ^^''''  ^""^  *"^*^  ^  P"^"  N^P  ^^' 

But  the  donkey  ate  on  1 

Then  Bart  slapped  his  flanks  with  his  hands. 
—  Bui  Iho  donkey^are  onl — ^"^ — '~  •         '"^ 

Then  Bart  kicked  him  vigorously  with  his  heels. 


HEE  HAWl 


139 


But  the  donkey  ate  on  ! 

Then  he  whistled,  and  shouted,  and  pulled  his 
ears,  and  kicked  ^t  him,  and  mixed  all  sorts  of  en- 
couragmg  words  with  acts  of  the  most  violent 
kind. 

But  the  donkey  ate  on  I  i  - 

That  donkey  seemed  to  be  about  the  most  phleg- 
matic  animal  that  th^  had  Q,ver  met  with.  Bart 
was  in  despair.  He  looked  over  the  field  to  see  if 
there  was  a  stick  lying  about  ariywhere.  He  asked 
the  boys  if  they  could  see  one.  He  now  sat  still, 
for  a  short  time,  on  the  donkey's  back,  waiting  till 
he  should  find  a  stick. 

While  he  was  seated  thus  the  donkey  slowly 
lifted  his  head.  ^ 

He  had  finislied  that  thistle,  and  felt  refreshed. 

Slowly  he  elevated  his  head ;  slowly  he  threw 
back  his  ears;  slowly  also  heP^elevated  his  tail- 
until  at  last  his  nose  was  directed  towards  a  point 
about  twelve  degree^  above  the  northern  horizon 
and  his  tail  to  another  point  about  eleven  degrees 
above  the  southern. 

Then  he  spread  all  his  legs  apart. 

Then  h^  opened  his  mouth. 

Then:—  .  / 

Heehaw!  Bee  Haw  I!  HeeHawItt 
Haw  haw!  Hawwwwwt  Heeel  * 
.M&haw^Sseeirmtaaww^ — 


Heehaw  I    Hee-haw  I    Haw! 
Heel    Haw!    Heel    Hawt 


140 


THE  BOYS  OP  GRAND  PRfi  SCHOOL. 


^ 


See!    Haw!    Mee!    Haw! 

H-E-E-E-E-E-E-E-E-E-E-E-E-E-E-B  1 
H-A-A-A-A-A-A-A-A-A-A-A-W  I 

Bart  sprang  from  his  back. 
The,  other   boys    started 
another  in  utter  amazement. 
One  mystery  was  at  last  revealed  I 


and   looked  at 


one 


I 


^ 


AN  IMMENSE  BELIEF. 


141 


X. 


I 


irri 


■^jmie  Outburst  of  Feeling  from  the  Grand 

h^STsZ^:  rsr  t  *  "'^'^''^  "-^ 

—  Jtn.  ^r^ir  ^  ~  ^'»5^»y  <»»«  more. 
unJi^U  Work.  -  Unco.eHn,  tke  loney{2. 
^.imt.  -  Tremendous,  hut  restrained  Exeitemmt. 

of  the  dzacordant,  the  hideous  roar.    To  those 
be  •  tt'-Kri'''"''  ""«  '""y  "'  '^  donkey  it  wU 

m  the  8t.ll  midnight,  to  inejtperiencM  ears  mav 
have  been  full  of  terror;  while  to  those  who  hZ 
no  heard  ,t,  a  simple  assertion  of  the  abovellt 
wdl  It  IS  hoped,  be  all  that  is  necessary.    It  w^s 

tt  t^  .7  '  ""^y  "'''<"''  '""'"'Jing  to  the  fable 
terrified  the  annals  of  the  forest,  after  held  put 

m  something  more  dreadful  than  a  lion'a  skin  • 

w!hl^.r  """'''  <='^oum8tances,  without  know- 
ing  Whence  It  came. 


it 

•'I 

!, 


U2  'the  BOTS  op  GMM,  PBfe  SOHOO.. 

•„  rtev  all  bMBt  into  a  roar 

■    After  the  first  B»'^P™.?*'^,t  relief  to  them  all ;    , 
ot  laughter.    "  was  -  —     [^^^j^gled  .ith 
but  their  tnernment  was  a  ^^^  ^^^^^^ 

feelings  of  shan>e,  as Jhe  ^  ^^^  ^^^^^^^^  ^^^  ^j 

tery  thus  resolved  itseii  >u 

a  poor  little  donkey.        ^  a„ced  on  him  was 

As  for  Solomon  the  effec'  P      ^^^  ^^^.  ^^^  „f 

greater  'than  on  the  "^e''.  ^ji,  jaw  dropped, 

fhebraystruckhisearshe^r^d^^^^l^^^^j^ 

Ws  |yes  rolled  np.    T^n.  ^«  „„d,  threw  h.s 

to  hTm,  he  dashed  h.sh^to^t|^^  ttunder-peal 

head  back,  -°t,^     .  "  rtood,  while  the  donkey 

oflaughter.    .T^'^y^'^^J  fra^e -»* '^'^  ^"^'1 
j^ayed,  «w>ng'°g  ^'^^"8   ,  ^j,  arms,  and 

.  ^o!ding^.>->frU;"s,^Btn 

saccumstonce  1    ^^^  '^^"afbi„bbed  breddern  ob 
feah  about  dati     An  aU       ^  _j^  ^^„,k_  ^^ 

de  Double  bubble:  demoj  ^  ^^.^  ^„  ^ 

venebubble  wodden,  an  a^l  a  ^.^  ^  ^^„ 

.       beels  Ob  de  0-X  j;"gb  an-  mighty  '8cia U 1 
iackass  a  chasm  all  dem  n  g  ^  ^j^  caj.an 

Win  him  de  -^S"'  J'^u  „ber  our  bressed 


^.^^^^wtlTp-    O^oiousihowW 


ole 
ter 

jui 

Saj 
-Spc 

you 

anin 
two 
some 
de  ei 

Ye-e- 
t.  "S 
I  after 
anoth< 
'«Y( 
"W 
onoug] 
As  it  M 
ped,  W( 
resume 
theresi 
"All] 
Jng  up  1 
out  stro 
<Jat  men 
Diggq'irj 
Saying 
Japped  c 


i* 


,0  a  roar 
hemall; 
led  with 
Iful  mys- 
5  form  of  . 

I  him  was 
it  peal  of 
7  droppejd, 
ruth  came 
threw  his 
,under-peal 
he  donkey 
lis  grizzled 


8  arms, 


aud 


f 


•4 


de   gracious 
,88  1    Sich  a 
ne  mad  wid 
breddefn  ob 
le  Patrick,  de 
1  flyin  on  de 

wid  a  small 
lighty  'ficials  I 

a  ole  Cajian 
3r  our  bressed 
ndid  4ia-^^gg* 
mce !     A.n  ^e 
jious!  how  my 

r^  ■ 


SOLOMON. 

ole  heels  did  kick  un  I    p«  , 
terror  we  was;  mini  I  tutlT'l  '"'^'''^  ^^^ 
Juvenile  jackass  out  ;b  de  woo,  .  i"  ^''  ''^^  - 
Sa^  blubbed  hredder^  Jw!'*^  ^^^«-  "«  t,p  I 

d^r  ef  'twouldn'tmake  dat  arT  T^'""  ^^^'P'  ""on- 
y-}^  what  now,  Mas'r  Bar  v'  '''  ^''  "P'  Tell 
animal's  back  wid  Mas'  Bn  ^''*  ^''  ^"  ^^^  ^r 
t^o  Ob  dem  dar  cantal  ''  ^^'  ''""S  ona  or^ 

--  „,agic  cand  Iet'7^^^^^  f  f  ^*  ^^  ^-  ^eT  ^ ' 
^^e  end  Ob  dat  ar  taiJ.    Tdl  ^o       .     ''^  ^"^*  ^^ 

Ye-e-e-e-e-e-e-e-e-e-e-e-e-p  f  ^^    ^' ^  V^^  ^  >'^h  I  y^ ; 

feolomon/my  8on»o„-^  T>     '  '        '   •     '^ 

aft«r  giving'  ,  iZ'yT^'^-  "^  'hooW  felloe 
another  outburst.        ^    '  ''*'  getting  r^^dy  for 

"'""gh  to  allow  us  ZLi,    *^°"  *°  l^-  kW 
As  it  was  interrupted^vth       "'"  "■^««  ■"^Past? 
P«<J,  -«  t^uk  that  -t  Jo^!  T'  **'  *'"'^  ''"-'™- 
"■esime  it/unless  you  life        ^^V  desirable  to 
tterestof  thedayI;L?.Wh""'*''''''S  here  fo. 
.    "  ^'  right,  mos  CorsMe"w;  ^^f  ^'^^  »«•" 
■°g  «P  his  basket.    «  CouMnTh       v°'°°""''  '=»*«*- 
o»t  strong.    Bust  if  I  Su  ^  J  "^    ^'"^  '»  '«» > 
dat  mentions  de  name  ob^dLt^  '"•    ^"'*  ««'■'  '^ 

Saymg  this,  Solomon  kick„^ 
J»PPed  one  hand  down  hard  o„  Ji'u""^ '««'  '^'^'^ 

araonhiskuee,andjB(«od 


■■\^ 


MP 


mk 


mrmmm 


-^L-^ 


t 


144 


THE  BOYS   OP  GRAND   PRE   SCHOOL. 


w 


\ 


for  a  moment  with  his  head  bent  down,  while  his 
whole  frame  shook  with  intq^gial  laughter.  At 
length  he  raised  his  head,  and  presenled  to  the 
view  of  the  boys  a  face  as  grave,  as  demure,  and 
as  solemn  as  the  visage  of  a  judge  who  is  about  to 
'  pronounce  a  sentence,  only  there  was  an  irrepres- 
sible twinkle  in  each  of  his  small  black  beads  of 
eyes  which  took  a  little  from  the  mask  of  grav- 
ity with  wjiich  his  face  was  covered. 

Then  he  took  up  the  basket,  and  walked  back 
towards  the  old  French  orchard.  T^e  boys  passed 
him,  reaching  the  cellar  first.  Tjien  tjiey  all  sat 
down  again,  and  Solomon,  for  the  third  time,  spread 
the  table  before  them. 

"  Dis  heah,"  said  he,  "  chiPen,  am  de  third  and 
de  lass  time.  Ef  any  ob  you  runs  away,  he'll  lose 
his  brassed  dinna,  how  an  forebbermore.  Amen. 
So  you  go  ahead,  an  cat,  fass  as  you  can.  De 
visions  ain't  gwine  to  spile  your  'gestions." 

The  boys  were  hungry,  and  ate  in  silence.  Solo- 
mon stood  apart  unobserved,  with. a  broad  grin  on 
his  face,  occasionally  muttering  to  himself,  and 
shaking  all  over  with  laughter.  After  each  of 
these  silent  explosions,  he  would  suddenly  recover 
his  gravity,  mutter  to  himself  some  solemn  rebuke, 
and  look  awfully  grave  for  about  half  a  minute,  till 
a  new  explosion  came. 

That  discovery  had  been  too  much  for  him.    He 


V 


iLad  seea  the  donkey  when  it  came,  but  he  had 
never  l^ard  it  bray.    The  terror  over  him  had  been 


irhile  his 
ter.  At 
I  to  the 
ure,  and 
about  to 
irrepres- 
3ead3  of 
of  grav- 
ed back 
8  passed  - 
r  all  sat 
),  spread 

lird  and 

le'll  lose 

Amen. 

an.    De 

e.  Solo- 
[  grin  on 
lelf,  and 
each  of 
recover 
L  rebuke, 
Qute,  till 

im.    He 


«; 


he  had 
lad  been 


THE  DINNEB. 

tremendous     P,.«  ^^^ 

this  joyousness.    ft  ,„!  t        ^^'"^  bWught  oi.  ' 

'ast  had  the  satisS'oTlr""'  ^""^  Solomon  at 
,^  been  iUU^  '"preelted^'''"f  V  ^'^  ««>«, 
gianta  J^efreehed,  and  Snl  ''^  '"'ys  felt  like 

«ompIac^a  '''2   "'""-on  looked  with  J^!! 

«»P'J^  dishi  "^    *'"  •""■«»  »^  «>«  fowl,  and^Z 

"Cat's  abciut  de  ticket "  h.     -^ 
d-ahea  ,„to  the  basket   Vdn.r'''  ^  ^^  P''^^  the 

to  talk  to  you."      '  "'"' '  "P^e  you  yet.    TTe  want 
"Can't  spar  de  f 

'less.    De  doctor  oJi         ^°%  — mos  'portanf  K    • 

fvfif  K-     1^  •^'^  ^^"8  specks  mo         ^"^wnt  busi- 

ff^t  hin,  his  dinna.    Dis  fs  Si       P"""*'^^'    Giotto 


doctor'i 
busim 

...?' ""'"  got  W  ^ 


!gr  all 


%*V'  saia  ijr 


"Whatdat?    He-,1    j 

Soloinon  rolled  up  h.'^eyettiiTl''""*--'" 
10  *^*' *^  0%  the  whitM 


j 


.1 
I 
I 


mmmmmmm 


146 


THE  BOYS  OF  GRAND  PRE  SCHOOL. 


were  visible,  and  stood  lost  in  w^der  at  the  pre- 
posterous idea. 

"Sich  chiPen  a^  youjf  said  hel  loftily,  "don't 
ond'stan  de  ser'ous  business  ob  life.  Wait  till  you 
got  to  be  sixty,  an  hab  cooked  as  1  many  dinnas  as 
me  ;  den  you  may  talk."  ,  V 

"That's  hard  fQr  us,"  said  Tom, \' if  we  have  to- 
become  cooks  and  get  to  be  sixty."  1 

"Course  |t  is  —  an  I  mean  it  to  hit  hard.  A 
dinna's  a  dinna,  an  no  mistake.  Me  'n'  de  doctor 
knows  dat^.  /Why,  whar'd  de  'Cad'my  be,  ef  I  wasn't 
to  give  (|e  doctor  a  rail  fust-rate  dinna  ebery  day  ? 
Me  'n'  de  doctor  keep  de  'Pad'my  giin.  He's  de 
mas'r,  an  I'm  de  one  dat  keeps  him  ^  goin,  an  so 
we  bofe  ob  us  keep  de  'Cad'my  goiu."i 

"  Solomon,"  said  Arthur,  "  you  ought  to  be  one 
of  Ihe  teachers."  '  | 

"  Teachas  1 "  said  Solomon; "" ain't  I  somefin  more  ? 
What's  a  teacha?  I'm  a  pro-fessa.  I'm  de  'fessa 
ob  de  cool  an  airy  'partment."  | 

"  Culinary,"  said  Bart.  1 

"  No,"  said  Solomon ;  "  cool  an  airy.  Dat's  what 
de  doctor  said.  Ses  he, '  Solomon,  you  hab  a  'por- 
tant  'sition,  —  you  preside  ober  de  cool  an  airy 
Apartment.'  '  What's  dat  ar  ? '  ses  I.  '  0,'  ses  he, 
'  it's  only  de  Injin'  fur  cookin.'  An  I  ups  an  toles 
him  ef  he'd  ony  stay  down  on  some  broilin,  hot 
dayjn  Augusa  iiijie^Itche%  Iie'd  '&sa.dat  de^Ii 


,  jin  langidge  didn^press  de  idee,  ef  it  called  sich 
a  oven  of  a  pl»(Je  *  cool  an  airy.'  Dat's  what  I  tola 
him,  —  an'  now,  blubbed  breddern,  farewell  1 " 


V 


DIGGING  AGAIN. 


147 


Saying  this,  Solomon  took  hia  basket,  and  retired 
froin  the  scene.  ' 

"  There's  a  great  lot  of  these  cellars  about,"  said 

.  Arthur  at  last,  after  some  silence,  during  which 

they  had  been  sprawling  on  the  grass  beside  the 

cellar.    «  Thei'e's  a  great  lot  of /hem.    I  wonder 

how  many  there  are.^* 

"  0,  two  or  three  hundred,  at  least,"  said  Bruce  • 
"  perhaps  more."  *  ' 

"  Well,  for  my  part,"  said  Bart,  « I  believe  that 
there's  money  buried  in  some  of  them  ;  and  though 
our  adventure  was  awfuUy  ridiculous,  yet  that 
doesn't  alter  thQ  sober  fact,  and  I  think  the  general 
belief  is  right." 

"  ^  SO  in  for  digging  again,"  said  Phil.  « I Jjon't 
believe  in  finding  money,  but  we  may  find  some- 
thing."  I  ^  ^ 

"  Bones,  for  instance,"  said  Bruce. 

"Yes,  bonesJif  you  like;  and  then  we'd  give  them 
to  the  museum^     Anything  at  aU  would  be  accept- 
able.    It  woum  take  the,  edge  oflF  our  disappoint-  ^ 
ment  of  the  other  night." 

"There's  a/great  deal  in  that,"  said  Bruce. 

"I  don't  like  giving  it  up  altogether," said  Bart. 

"  We've  begun  It  —  let's  finish' it." 

"And  there's  Ite  hole,"  said  Tom,  " inviting  us    ' 
to  come  along." 

-^^B©8ider,»wdrBnice,  "don't  you  remember  we"~ 
struck  something  hard  ?  and  I  know  it  wasn't  a 
stone." 


^ 


,  ^..^.„-. 


i 


148  THE  BOYS   ^P  GRAND   Pb6  SCHOOL. 

"No,"  said  Arthur;  "that's  a  .fact, —  all  our 
shovels  touched  it.  We  all  heard  the  duU,  ringing 
sound  it  gave.  It  was  metal.  Let's  go  to  work  I 
say."  ' 

"  When  ?"  said  Bart.  ■     ^ 

•      "  To-morrbw  morning,"  said  Phil,  «  early  —  " 
"  No  -—  I  say  now,"  said  Arthur. 
"So  say  L"     - 
"And  I." 

"All   right,"   said  Phil;   "I  say  so,  too.     But 
what'U  we  do  for  shovels  ?  " 

"  Do  ?    Why,  we  can  go  and  get  some^  I  sup- 
pose,"  said  Bruce. 

"  But  won't  the  feljows  see  us  ?  " 

''What  if  they  do?" 

'*lVhy,  they'll  wonder  what  we're  up  to." 

"  What  then  ?  "  ' 

"  They'll  follow  us,  and  see." 

"  Very  well.  We're  not  going  to  work  in  secret 
this  time.  We're  working  now  in  broad  day.  We 
haven't  any  mineral  rod,  nor  any  magic  ceremonies. 
We're  merely  a  plain,  hard-working  crowd ;  not  of 
money-diggers,  but  of  \chaBologists.  We're  not 
digging  for^.pots  of  gold,  but  for  curiosities  and 
relics  of  the  Acadian  French.  That's  our  position 
noV,  my  boy;  and  a  very  much  more  dignified 
position  it  is  than  the  one  we  occupied  when  we 
were  making  fools  of  oursejves  the  other  night." 


■ 


^0  spoke^ruce,  who  felt  more  keenly  than  the 
others  the  shame  of  that  panic,  for  the  reason  that 


'W 


TO   THE   CELLABr 


149 


But 
sup. 


he  had  been  more  deeply  tbuched.     Simje  thett  he 
had   over  and  over  again,  vindicated  his  courage  • 
most  nobly,  on  occasions,  too,  when  tWex-er^jis©  ot  ■ 
that  courage   could  only  be   accomplished   by  a^-^i^ 
supreme  effort  of  hi^  strong  spirit ;  yet,  in  spite  of 
this,  he  felt  galled  ^t  the  recollection  of  that  nicht 
and  could  not  allude  to  it  without  bitterness.         ' 

the  other  lot  are  very  inquisitive,  I'll  invite  them 
up,  and  w^  cai^  get-thefti  to  do  the  digging." 

''That's  a  very  sensible  way  of  viewing  it" 
said  Bart.  "  Yes,  that's  j^st  what  we'll  do.  For 
my  part,  I'd  rather  have. them  come  than  not,  for 
If  they  were  to  dig,  o«r  curiosity  would  be  satisfied 
all  the  same,  while  our  various  muscles  would  not 
have  to  submit  to  such  very  violent  exertion  as  is 
called  forth  by  the  unpleasant  process  of  digging 
with  a  spade  m  such  abominably  hard  ground '' 

"  Well,  Bart,"  said  Brace,  "L  seen  ^  ylvo 
teken^breath  after  that  lohg-winded  sentence,"  we'll 

his'l'xi^X'  ^"' '' '''''  ^"' '''  ^^'^^^  ^^"--^ 

Bpades  and  a  pickaxe  without  any  difficultv 
Shouldering  these  they  paraded  about Lyadfn 
^hope  of  attracting  attention.    But  totheilr.  ^ 


J-  .         -"6  «ttc^,iuoD.    uut  to  their  ereaf 

soli:  •  J  a  wiir  s:  t "™''"°'"'' '"  '■">"*' 

ut  lor  a  walk,    fee  they  came  to  the  con. 


■■>%• 


iffmmm 


-•  J 


\ 


150 


THE  BOYS  OP  GRAND  PBE  SCHOOL. 


I- 


elusion  that  they  would  have   to   do  their  own 
digging. 

"  At  any  rate/'  said  Bart,  as  they  walked  back 
up  the  hill,  « one  comfort  is,  that  we  dug  up  the 
place  before,  and  this  time  the  ground  will  be 
softer." 

.        "I've   got  the  old  pickaxe,"  said  Bruce,  «aU 
/    ready  in  case  of  need."       ' 

"  Whether  we  find  anything  or  not,  it  wiU  satisfy 
our  minds."  ' 

;  "  Yes,  and  then,  you  know,  we  can  leave  the  hole 
open,  and  explain  to  the  others  why  we  dug  it. 
We  can  induce  them  also  to  do  a  little  more  Ojig. 
ging,  perhaps."  -  v 

"But  if  we  find  anything  there'll  be\  still 
stronger  temptation  to  dig." 

"0,  if  we  find  anything,  all  the  cellars  in  the 
place  will  be  turned  inside  out." 

"  David  Digg  will  have  a  chance  to  prove  him- 
self  deserving  of  his  name." 

"  What  a  joke  it  would  be  if  Pat  were  to  see  us  I 
He'd  be  wild  with  culosity,  and  follow  us  so  as 
to  see." 

"  0,  there's  no  danger.  Nobody'Il  come  —  that's 
just  because  we  want  them,"  said  Phil. 

^Chatting  in  this  way  they  marched  up^  the  hill, 
back  again  to  the  old  French  orchard,  which  they 
reached  wi^outhaying^ttractedJhe^maUest  at^_ 
"---tentron  from  Wybody,  Mdlif 

once  more  with  their  spades  by  the  cellar.    Very 


/ 


iJtSS^ 


.Jt 


n 


\ 


tj 


' 


/ 


\ 


bart's  doleful  ditty. 


151 


«lf  fT -7^'  this  occaBion  from  the  last,  and  they 
and  nonsense,  dF*^**-—'  '^  -      - 


of  some  of  th( 
trar^,,wa8  an 
to  precj^minate; 
They  paused 


1,  however,  by  the  tremors 

•J  this  time,  on  the  con- 

^MM  business  seemed 


*h^      u  "rr  ^"-^"  ^'<^tJ6  while  on  the  edge  of 
the^^celiar,  before  committing  th^emselves  to  their 

Upon  this  Bart  began  to  whine  out  through  his 
nose^  a  doleful  ditty,  to  the  tune  of^^uld  Lang 


<« 


"Whene'er  I  take  my  walks  abroad 
How  many  holes  I  see  I 
But  how  they  came  upon  the  ground 
Completely  puzzles  me. 

"  Here  once  the  peaceful  French 
And  passed  his  happy  days     «j^ 
In  draining  bogs,  devouring  frogs, 
And  cultivating  maize.  ,  - 

"  These  holes,  no  doubt,  were  dqg  by  him : 

We  see  them  all  around; 

And  all  Grand  Pre  to  me  appears  ' 
I  A  very  holy  ground."  .   ' 

"That's  What  Captain  Corbet  would  caU  a 
'  hnne/  said  Phil,  with  a  laugh.  "  It's  too  solemn, 
I5art  for  this  occasion.  We  want  something  busi- 
ness-hko-BQWr"      -  ^ 


"  Then  here  goQs,"  said  Bart,  who  had  a  happy 
telent  for  improvising.    And  he  droned  out  Z 


..^- 


i 


f? 


•ajt 


/*• 


t'i^ 


ifm 


1$2 

•ft 


THE  BOYS  OP  GRAND  PR6  SCHOOL. 


' 


foUawing,  in  a  whining  voice,  but  to  a  livelier 
toeasure :  — 

'*'  "  Over  Minas's  Bay 

•  Game  the  French  to  Grand  Pr6, 
Arid  they  all  were  remarkable  fellers ;    ' 
They  lived  upon  frogs, 
And  they  wore  wooden  clogs, 
And  preserved  their  potatoes  in  cellars. " 

"  There,"  said  Arthur,  "  that's  enough,  Bart.  If 
we  don't  stop  you  now,  yoti'll  go  on  till  sundown. 
If  we're  going  to  dig,  we'd  better  begin,  for  it's 
getting  late,  and  it'll  be  dark  before  we  know  it." 

"  All  right,  my  son,"  said  Bart.  "  Here  goes  — 
com*  along." 

And  seizing  his  spade,  he  rushed  down  into  the 
cellar ;  and  plunging  it  deep  into  the  earth,  ho 
began  to  throw  it  out. 

"  Hurrah,  Bart ! "  cried  Bruce.  "  Dig  away,  old 
man  I  You'll  turn  up  the  whole  cellar,  at ,, that  rate, 
before  we  can  get^own."  Leave  sometliing  for  us, 
though,  just  for  the  name  of  the  thing,  you  know." 

"  Come  alongf '  cried  Bant,  throwing  out  his 
seventh  shovelful. 

Bv  this  time  they  were  all  at  the  lible,  and 
plunfed  in  their  spades.  Out  flew  the  earth.  In 
their  zealous  work  the  shovels  clashed  against  one 
anotlsr  furiously,  and  rather  impeded  their  prog- 
ress J  but  ip^ spite  of  this,  the  earth  wm  thrown  «ut» 
•^th  a^apidity  that  contrasted  in  a  very  Htriking 


manner  with  t^Tslowness  of  their  progt-esa  on  that 
former  occasion.    Then,  the  earth  was  rigid,  and 


WHAT  IS  IT? 


153 


hard  bound  with  the  turf  that  had  been  ijcumulat- 
.  mg  for  generations,  and  Bruce's  pickaxe  had  to  pre- 
pare  the  way  for  the  slow  entrance  of  their  spades. 
But  now,  their  spades  went  in  easily,  and  the  pick- 
axe  as  yet  was  not  neecled. 

But  the  work  of  digging  was  an  unusual  one, 
and  their  violent  efforts  exhausted  them  before 
they  had  worked  for  a' long  time.  They  paused 
lor  a  mofnent  and  rested. 

^'1  We're  almost  at  the  bottom,"  said  Bart. 

"  That  depends  on  what  you  mean  by  the  bot. 
,     tom;"  said  Arthur. 

"  Well,  I  mean,  we're  almost  as  far  down  as  we 
-were  before." 

"  But  I  wonder  whether  we  shall  strike  that 
metallic  substance  that  we  struck  before,"  said 
Arthur. 

"  I'll  soon  see,"  said  Bruce. 

Saying  this,  ho  took  the  pickaxe,  and  giving  it  a 
8wmg^  brought  it  down  into  the  centre  of  the  hole 

It  penetrated  a  short  distance,  and  then  stopped 
short  with  a  low,  dull  sound,  as  though  it  had 
struck  something  hard. 

That  sound  roused  the  boys  once  more,  and 
stimulated  them  to  fresh  exertions.  They  again 
plunged  their  spades  into  the  earth.  AU  their  first 
energy  was  now  restored.  They  forgot  their 
^tigne  Something  waa  there,  tfaejrfaiewrWhar- 
It  was  they  could  not  tell ;  but  they  knew  that  it 
.must  be  the  same  thing  that  liad  excited  them  once 


':i*aii»t*«MMr>,Ti«ina8.iin^,iw>i,..^.». 


154 


THE  BOYS  OP  GRAND  Pflfi  SCHOOL. 


before,  and  from  which  they  had  been  driveiylby 
the  sudden  bray  of  that  absurd  donkey.  Now  all 
that  njDnsense  had  been  explained ;  and  they  knew 
that  tl^s  last  vestige  of  the  mystery  of  that  mid- 
night hour  lay  beneath  them,  and  would  soon  be 
'  exhunied  and  brought  to  the  light  of  day. 

Lower  and  lower  they  went. 

And  now  their  shovels  struck  it  at  every  stroke. 
It  se^udd  m6tallio.  The  dull  ringing  sound  given 
forth  could  not  come  from  wood,  or  brick,  or  stone. 
It  must  be  metal  I  •• 

But  what? 

Was  it  a  pot,  or  an  iron  chest?      " 
Pooh ! 

At  any  rate  they  were  glad  that  the  other  fel- 
lows were  not  present. 

Such  thoughts  and  feelings  passed  through  their, 
minds  as  they  came  down  nearer  to  the  object  of 
their  search. 

'  '#  - 


. 

^ 

COV€ 

hav€ 

Wim 

'>4 

" 

only 

\i 

't«. 

V 

■I 

ble, 

I 

was. 
cheH 

'x 

t 

• 

Bi 

ingt 

I 

*                         ..         ' 

. 

' 

EXCITEMENT. 


155 


*  ^i 


XI. 


i 


Farther  ami  faHher  down,  and  sudden  Eevelatim 
of  tU  Truth.  —  mSin^^superior  to  Circumstances. 
—  The  "Pot  of  Mone^r  and  other  buried  Trtas- 
ures.  —  Thsy  take  att  these  exhumed  Treasures- 
to  Dr.  Porter. —  Singular  Reception  of  the  e/ 

'    cited  Visitors. 

IN  deep  excitement  they  continued  to  dig  in 
silence,  and  thus  cam®  gradually  nearer  to 
the  object  of  their  search,    ^t  last  the  loose 
earth  was  all  thrown  out,  and  only  the  old  hard- 
bound  soil  was  left;  whil»  there,  at  the  bottom  of 
the  cavity,  lay  exptfeed  a  portion  of  afi  iron  surface 
dented  now  and  scratched  by  the  blows  which  it 
had  received.     It  was  very  rusty ;  t^  rust,  in  fact 
covered  it  in  great  scales,  showing  that  it'  must 
have  been  buried  there  for  many  years.    As  yet 
only  a  few  square  inches  of  the  Surface  were  visi- 
ble, and  It  was  impossible  to  teU  as  yet  what  it 
was..    But  they  all  felt  sure  that  it  was  an  iron 
chest. 


4 


Bruce  now  took  his  pickaxe,  and  begftn  loosen- 
mg  the  hard-bound  earth  that  surrounded  the  hole. 


t- 


mF 


156 


THE  BOYS  OF  GRAND  PR6  SCHOOL. 


,     "  It's  lucky  it's  so  near  the  surface,"  said  Bart! 

"  I  suppQse  he  hadn't  time  to  bury' it  any  deep- 
er," said  Phil.    ^  - 
.  ^   "  No,"  said  Arthur ;  "  he  must  have  been  hurry- 
ing  off,  you  know," 

"  Perhaps  we  won't  be  able  to  lift  it,"  said  Tom. 
"  What'll  we  do  then  ?  " 
^      "  We'll  have  to  get  Solomon  and  Captain  Corbet " 
said  Phil.  -  "V 

"  For  that  matter,"  said  Bart,  "  we  can  rig  up 
blocks  and  pulleys,  and  hoist  it  up.     We'll  have  to 
>  dig  all  around  it,  though." 
/       "  We  may  not  have  it  done  to-night." 
"  If  it's  very  heavy,  we  won't." 
"  But  we  must." 

*'  0,  yes,  it  wouldn't  do  to  leave  it  till. morning." 
"  Can't  we  get  lights  ?  " 

"  If  we  do  get  lights,  we'd  better  postpone  it 
till  midnight." 

"  But  we  ought  to  do  as  much  as  we  can  by  day- 
light."   ■  ^'     ^ 

"  O,  of  course,  while  the  daylight  lasts,  we'll  keep 
at  it."  ^ 

Bruce  now  laid  down  his  pickaxe,  and  they  went 
to  work  with  their  shovels,  and  at  last  the  loose 
earth  was  thrown  out  once  more.  They  had  now 
uncovered  what  seemed  like  one  side  of  the  top  of 
the  box,  and  its  edge  was  plainly  apparent.    The 


Test  trf  it  yras  stilt  covered  By  the  superincumbent 


soil. 


.,* 


#- 


■?\ 


d  Bart, 
ny  deep- 

n  hurry- 
lid  Tom. 
Qorbet," 


1  rie  up 
have  to 


jrning." 

pone  it 

by.  day- 

I'U  keep 

3y  went 
e  loose 
ad  now 
» top  of 

i.    The 


iimBent 


THE  DISCOVERY. 


157 


aian  t  lilt  It  fair  in  the  centre." 
"  It's  a  good-sized  box,  too."  ^  «. 

,      "  And  it'll  be  awfully  heavy  "  ^ 

^"  I  wonder^  if  it  is  much  larger  " 

'  the'Ifof'rTr''?'  ,^  "^'  ''  ^*' «°  ^«  *«  -« 

ine  size  ot  it.    There  don't  seem  to  be  anv  kind  of 
rivet,  here,  or  anything  of  that  sort."       ^  ^ 

Countersunk  rivets  on  an  iron  plate  would  b« 

t.t'^°""V.'"  *S  ""'■''  °''  'hia  side,"  said  Bruce 
teking  uj,  h,s  pickaxe  again.    A  few  blows  directed 

there,  and  the  eager  boys  soon  threw  it  out  am 
^.d  bare  more  of  the  surface.    Bruce  worked  a,  *" 
with  his  pickaxe  at  t^:&n,e  time     „/'°'^'^^'' *'    -. 
room  for  only  twl,  to  Wo^"    T^"  I      ,  T  ""'' 
with  beating  hearts    ^"^'^'J^^  "^"'^  l^ked  on 


(( 


(( 


a 


Hallo  1"  cried  Brucovsud 
What? "asked  Bart 
Why,  the  top's  loos 


»»u/,  me  top's  loose  I" 
Loose  I    Hurrah  I    We 


get  into  the  box." 


can  lift  it  off  then,  and 


Bruce  said 


nothing,  but 


^other  boyg  crowded 


of  the 


ardund: 
3fin^ 

iron,  and  rattled 


stooped  down,    Bart, 
stooped  down,  too.    The 


Bruce  dug  his  fingers  inti) 


the  earth  by  the  edge 


he  tried  to  lift  it 


up. 


with  hiB  hands.    Then   ^ 


« 


'• 


pwp 


I- 


158 

3  ■ 


THE 


iyno^ed,  ^workel^ii 
sed  it, up  on  its  pdge^^ 
'  notoi^  word,  bnt  lilel^St ipi^nd  held 
^%68  of  the  "  B.  0,  W.  G."  '  i 
ly  looked  at  it  they  w#rl5  struck  dumb, 
ralyzed  with  amazqm^i^t  arid  disgust. 
^6r  there;  in  Bruce's  hands,  hel#up  to  the  light 
df^y,  the  iron  lid  of  the  iron  niSley^hest,  that 
coffer  lid  that  concealed  so  much  trfeisure,  buried 
.  long  ago  by  Mie  fugitive  Frenchnjari,  t^  Jbe  exhumed 
by  their  fortunate  hands,  — that  iron  lid  which  had 
been  the  source  of  so  much  excitement  and  hope, 
had  resolved  itself  into  nothing  better  thanii  rusty 
old  pJxmgJishare  t 

Again  holdiiig  it  till  he  waa  tired,  Bruce  handed 
it  solemnly  to  Bart.  ;  \  i 

•     «  Here,  Biart,"  said  he,  « I'U  give  all  my  share  to 

you."^..».   ,  .'    .        1 

"  And  I  present  all  that  you  give  me  and  all  my 
own  to  Tom,"  said  Bart,  taking  it  and  passing  it  on 
to  Tom. 

Tom  took  it  and  handed  it  to  Arthi 

"  I  make  it  over  to  you,  Arthur,"'i 

"  Aiyj  make  it  over  td  Phil 

Philncit.  •      ' 

ell,",  said  he.    «  I 


■; 


u 


queath  all  my  right,  title,  and 
"tK§  laid  ploughshare,  to  the  Aca^, 
cural^rs  and  officials,  to  havQtiand 


and  be- 
in  and  to 


seum^  its 
id  forever- 


. 


V 


:sm 


V  i 


V 


►       .1 


A  LITHE  philosophy;.  159 

Sr;""™'  """^  ''»y«"'''g  to  the  contrary  thereof 
m  any  wise  notwithstanding  " 

Jy  this  time  the  boys  had  recovered  from  their 
as^mshment,  disappointment,  and  disgu         ^'"^ 
That  comes  of  heing  so  eanguineT"  said  Bart 

.o^eTrdV"""  "^  ^'^  ^<'-«'^-  ^  I- 
plough^  "  '"^""^  ^'=^*™  solemnly,  burying  his 

potato  LTd^'"^  "  '"  ^'»  «*»'•  ^  ^V  not'in  his 

Vre!Z^'  "''''  '  *"''  '"'««^«  '"  %  Acadian 
"  I  think  they're  humbugs." 

the  true  source  of ^wbalth      TK^  f^i    \^?^  "°^ 
y^^^^ifef..oW  crooks  aU   say,   at  ai^ 

^Well,  I'la  g^ad  we've  eot  -^ven  thia     Tf  «,  ui    - 
ardh.„.ogists  rf  us.    We>n  IZ  it  J^S^^ 
the  Atuseum:   if  e  doctor'U  be  delighted    PeA^^ 
ite^-'l^y.   Eviy  scale  of  rl     . 
label  on  it.  with  all  AnT     '  ^^®^  B»«*®  ^  »»ce 
^e  d^^^p  discovery.    If^f¥%^^^-^'^ 


i 

i 


J 


111  r  11(11 


r 


160 


THE  BOYS  OP  GRAND  PB6  SCHOOL. 


treasure  of  the  Museum.  Where'll  David  Diggs's 
crystal  be,  or  Billyralack's  moss  agate,  or  Jiggins's 
petrifactions,  beside  our  plough  ?  " 

"I  wonder  if  we  couldn't  find  Bomething  else, 
so  as  to  make  a  handsome  thing  out  of  it.  An  old 
ru&ty  nail » would  be  better  than  nothing." 

"  That's  a  capital  idea,"  cried  Bruce,  seizing  his 
pickaxe  again.  "  Never  say  die,  boys.  We'll  go 
back  covered  with  glory,  after  all,  and  our  names 
will  be  .handed  down  to  future  generations  of  boys 
yet  to  come  to  the  old  place." 

Saying  this,  Bruce  began  working  away  once 
more  with  his  pickaxe  ;  and  the  others,  excited  by 
this  new,  idea,  and  the  prospect  of  gaining  some 
kind  of  a  reward  for  all  their  toil,  took  tliJSV  shovels 
*  again,  ^nd  waited  till  Bruce  should  loosen  the  earth 
-sufficiently  for  them  to  dig  it. 
,     At  length  this,  was  done,  and'  they  began  to 
shovel  it  out.     They  had  not  tvorked  five  minutes 
before  Tom  cried,  — 
"  Hallo  1  here's  something,  at  any  rate." 
Saying  this,  he  stooped  down  and  picked  some, 
thing  out  of  the  ground,  which  he  showed  the  boy^.  ' 
They  examined  it  eag^J^,  and  saw  that  it  was  a 
colter,   probably- belonging  to  tl^ei  jJough,  from 
which  the  plotLghshare  had  been  taken.  '  Scarcely 
had  he  hande(i  this  to 'the  boys  than  he  saw  lying 
MJiia  feet  a^t  iron  bolt.    This  eBeouraged^em^H^ 
the  more.    The  colter  and  the  bolt  were  placed  >; 
beside  the  ploughshare^  and  t^ey  worked  on  vigor- 


?' 


MORE  DISCOVERl£a. 


161 


•^:: 


/ 


oualy^  each  one  hoping  to  make  some  discovery  of 
his  own. 

In  a  little  while  Bruce  struck  something,  which, 
on  examination,  proved  to  be  the  end  of  a  chain. 
After  diligent  lal^or  he  succeeded  in  detaching  it 
all  from  the  ground,  and  laid  it  down  upon  the 
grass.     It  was  an  ox  chain,  about  six  feet  long. 

This,  of  course,  only  increased  their  excitement ; 
so  they  all  went  to  work  again. 

At  last  Phil,,with  all  his  strength,  dragged  som 
thing  out  of^he  ground,  and  with  a  shout  put  it 
down  beside  the  other  things.  It  was  a  small  iron 
pot,  which  had  been  used  for  cooking.  It  wajs  now 
full  of  earth,  and  Phil,  seizing  the  colter,  began  to 
pick  it  out. 

"  This  is  the  famous  pot,"  cried  Phil,  with  a  l^ugh ; 
"  but  the  money  inside  has  all  turned  to  dust  bebause 
we  dug  it  in  the  daytime."  \ 

"  Money  ?  "  cried  Arthur.    "  Don't  laugh  abo 
money.     What  do  you  say  to  that  ?  "  ^_ 

And  he  hel^  out  on  |iis  open  palm  three  very 
airty  coins.  "VV'hat  they  were  they  could  npt  tell, 
whether  8ilver,ior  iron,  or  what.  They  looked  like 
very  dirty  round  stones.  The  boys  took  them  and 
exhaled  them  Carefully.  Bart  drew  his  knife,  and 
BiJ?iiffied' off  the  rust  and  canker. 

*^ore  of  old  Benedict  Bellefontaine,"  said  he,  at 
^ttst;     "We  cant  make  tuiV  thiutf  out  of  him;    See 


d  holding  out  the  cfiii^^be  showed  where  he 
11* 


4: 


li  i. 


,^  .  ■, 


f 


i# 


W''' 


,il62^        Ithe  boys  of  bRAND  pr|i  school. 

had  scraped   it.   -i||iifrtffl^  oMild  read,  faintly  \ 
marked,  letters,  which  (ofmed  the  following : 

.  ^^  ' .:        ■■-■  m 

sou. 

They  were  somewhat  disappointed  at  this,  ai^ 
scraped  the  other  coins,  but  found  them  all  copper. 
"Pooh!  "said  Arthur;  "what's  the  odds?    To 
aifarchaBologist  isn't  ji  copper  coin  as  precious  as     ^' 
a  feold  one  ?    Of  coursfe  it  is.    Hallo,  Phil  I  Aven't 
you  got  that  pot  cleaned  out  yet?    Pve  got  an     ^ 
idi^.     I'll  put  these  sous  in  the  pot,  and  then  we 
can  s^  that  we've  found  a  pot  of  money.    We'll  be 
generous,  too  — we'll  give  it  all  to  the  Musei^jn." 

Phil's  pot  b^t%  time  was. empty,  fend  Anhur 
laughingly  threw  tie  sous  int^.it.  After  this  they 
began  ^ir  ?^ch  agam,  and  Enlarged  the  hole  in 
hopes  ^^nding  more  around'  the  sid^.-^  And  in 
this  t^y^ere  successful,  for  they  found,  near,  a 
dozen  nJ^Pcopper  o^s,  whift  made  a  ver^ 
respectable  appearance  i^hepo^  andMfe  a(^it'i6ri 
to  thes^,  about  a  d^en,^iiB  ^-iron  —  nailsfspikes, 
and  bolts.    '         Itt^  *■ 

"  Hallo^  boys  I  mjth^Q  ! "  cried  ^art,  suddenly^ 
He  held  jn  his  hari|Nin  old,  discolored  bone.  "  Talk- 
ing aboiit  relics,"  said  he,  "  here's  a  relic  of  the 
original  owner.  The  question  is  though.  Is  it  a 
human  bone  ?  "  ^ 


* 


^I*ooh  P  said  Arthur;  "It'rtn  ox  bone, or  a  horse." 
"  Not  a  bit  of  it,"  said  Bart.    « I'm  determined 
that  it  shall  be  Benej^ict  Bellefontaine."     ~% 


i. 


THE  INVENTOBY. 


163 


xt> 


ew 


"It's  a  horse's  bono,"  said  Phil. 
'    «  No,"  said  Bart;  "  I'll  keep  it  carefully,  and  let 
the  doctor  haVe  it.    It  wiU  be  the  most  precious 
article  in  the  Museum."  .  , 

It  was  BOW  gro#ing  too  dark  to  work'  anjr  longer. 
The  sun  ha.d  set,  and  they,  were  satisfied  with  the 
result  of  thfeir  labors.  So  they  gathered  together 
their  treasures,  and  set  out  for  the  Academy. 

These  treasures  seemed  to  tliem  to  be  by  no 
means  despicable.  ^ 

Tfiey  were,  —  •.       :  -       .       . 

1  ploughshare, 

1  colter, 

4  bolts,  •  *      ■         1./ 

1  chain,   ' 

1  iron  pot, 
■     -- ■' --3-  •nails-,     

fj  2  bits  of  iron, 

2  spikes, 
13  copper  coins, 

1  bone. 

And  any  one  who  has  ever  been  cotixjiected  with 
§  sinaU  museum,  or  has  ever  been  acquainted  with 
tiiose  who  are  connected  with  a  valuable  institu- 
tion  like  that,  will  easily  understand  the  value  of 
articles  like  these,  exhumed  direct  from  the  ceUar 
of  an  Qld  Acadian  house. 
:The_boys  fellnji  doubt  whatovoF-agt<^he  valw^ 


'v 


of  their  treasure.    In  fact,  they  grew  so  excited 
over  It  that  th^y  began  at  last  to  think  what  they 


164 


THE   BOYS   OP  GRAND   PBlfe  SCHOOL. 


had  found  far  better  than  what  they  hoped  to 
find;  and  so  it  resulted  that  those  who  had  gone 
out  to  find  gold  came  back  rejoicing  in  rusty  iron: 

On  reaching  the  Academy  they  went  at  once  to 
Dr.  Porter's  house.  They  found  the  doctbr  at 
home,  and  were  ushered  up  at  once  to  his  study. 

The  boys  said  nothing,  but  gravely,  and  in  im- 
pressive  silence,  laid  down  their  treasures  on  the 
doctor's  study  table.  It  was  covered  with  books 
and  papers  ;  but  they  were  too  oblivious  of  every 
thing,  and  too  much  absorbed  in  the  contemplation 
of  their  own  things,  to  think  of  that.' 

So  Bruce  entered  first,  and  placed  on  the  doc- 
tor's table,  right  over  some  handsome  volumes  of 
Euripides,  just  received  from  London,  the  rusty, 
dirty  old  ploughshare. 

"  Hallo  !  "  cried  the  doctor.     «  Why  1  what  I  —  " 

»But  before  he  could  finish  his  sentence,  Tom 

came  up,  and  laid  down  a  dozen  old  spikes  and 

nails.     Both  of  them  turned  and  looked  proudly  at 

the  doctor.  . 

"Look  here,  boys,"  cried  the  doctor,  standing 
up;  "what  — "  V  . 

He  was  interrupted  by  Phil,  who  came  forward 
between  him  and  the  first  boys,  carrying  an  iron 
pot,  which  he  triumphantly  placed  on  a  handsomely 
bound  Hebrew  Lexicon. 

"  ^^^  ^^!i^  ^*^^^^  ~^  "  ^^^  ^J^Q-^^Q^^Qr  again^^^ 


"^t^^as^gaSTinterruped  by  Arthur,  who  solemn- 
ly  placed  th6  colter  on  a  new  edition  of  Longinua, 


I 


rf- 


I-;-!:' 


"  ---v-v*  /; 


'  ■  ■  / 


.  ■■  '  //  / 


.       \ 


f   :  ' 


tm 


■  v'' . '    ■  ^    "'. ':, 
'■  '■:  ■  ■'   '  '■,'.\'/i/-' 

'■-.'■    .  liS- 


'X-^:  :^} 


V 

r 

1 

'■■'•■■-;;,■■<--,.. 

^ 

rt . 

;    :. 

't> 

■'  *  V-''-'   ■'■ 

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' 

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■>- 

'".■     ■  :t. 

u. 

■■■  1  ... 

''•--"      ' 

,-    . 

y , 

■     -y.      ■ 

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in-  . 

18, 

1 

1 

» 

.  ■■*'■'..''  .■ 

, 

— ^TT. — ~r 

J  " 

""""TT'T' 

.1-1.!,       ..■. 

wt  .       '        . 

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iA    <■'  ■      ■."')( 

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■■r.r, 

5^  • 

\ 


^ 


DB.  POETEB  ASTONISHED, 


I«5 


and  theq  put4^  the  chain  on  some  late  English ' 
Quarterly  Reviews.  Just  as  the  doctor  was  about 
to  burst  forth,,  Bart  came  immediately  before  him, 
and,  with  a  face  radiant  with  'delight,,  laid  down, 
i-ight  on  the  doctor's  blotting  pad,  that  horrible 
discolored,  and  disintegrated  old  bone. 

For  a  moment  it  seemed  that  the  doctor  would 

burst  forth  in  a  fury.    To  him  this  behavior  was  ^ 

^sublimity  of  unparalleled  impudence  ;  the  act  was 

so  absolutely  unequalled  in  its  quiet  audacify,  that 

}t  Actually  made  him  dumb  with  a^iazement.     The 

pjough^are,  the   colter,  .the   iron   pot,  the   rusty 

#ikes  and  bolts,  the  old  chain,  — all  these  were  so 

many  stages  \!ip  which  his  astonishment  went  to  a 

climax  which  was  fully  attained  when  Bart  put 

down  the  abominable  old  bone. 

^his  was  too  much.  ».. 

Then  the  doctor  burst  foriyi. 

But  ijot  in  fierce  and  ^ious  indignation,  and 

vehement  and  violent  denuncjiation.     It  struck  hhtt 

in  another  way.     It  was  his  sense  of  the  ridiculouir> 

that  was  affecte^d.     He  forgot  the  ruin  done  to  his"^  • 

Ve^ioua  editions  of  the  classics,  and  his  Hind 

coida  only  grasp  the  innocent,  smiling  fac6s  of 

these  five,  young  i^ar^  ^^t)' had  eome  intojihe  f^t 

-ftwful  seclqsiorf  of  his  0\*^  studv  to  pile  up  his      '  ' 

inviolable -at^dy  table  with  old  ir(4jftnj^  old  bones.        <«' 


-mid  so  it-WBB  thar  thr  do%r  "b^fsTlSFth  Tnto^^"~S| 
uncontrollable  fit  of  laughter,— not^^mmon  laugiiv^ 
' '  ^  '    but  »on€S  "Which  Wa|'  sent^  forth  from   the**  v^ 


0  ^ 


V  , .' 


106. 


THE  BOYS  OF  GRAND  PB6  SCHOOL. 


depths  of  iiis  nature,  —  all  absorbing,  overwhelm, 
ing.  Peal  after  peal,  irrepressible.  It  was  con- 
tagious, too.  The  boys  caught  it.  They  tried  to 
restrain  themselves  at  first.  They  tittered.  They 
began  to  see  themselves  the  absurdity  of  their 
act.  The  thought  overcame  them,  and  they  all 
burst  forth,  too.  The  whole  company  thus  went 
off  into  fearful  explosions  —  cataclysms,  in  fact,  of 
laughter. 
It  roused  the  house. 

The  family  came- running  up  to  see  the  cause. 
The,  doctor  could  not  utter  a  word.  Tears  were 
running  from  his  eyes;  he  could  only  point  in 
silence  to  the  old  iron  and  old  bone.  The  contagion 
seized  upon  the  family  also,  and  thSy  all  vfent  off 
into  the  general  laughter. 

At  length  the  boys  took  the  things  off  the  table, 
and  put  thetn  on  the  floor.  Gradually  the  doctor 
recovered  his  self-control,  and  asked  the  boys  what 
it  all  meant.  They  told  him  all  about  it.  He 
listened  to  them  with  a  serious  face,  which,  how- 
ever, was  occasionally  disturbed  by  a  tendency  to 
another  outburst,  as  again  and,  again  the  thought 
of  i^e  past  scene  /or6ed  itself  back.  Finally,  he 
managed  to  get  the  whole  story,  and  by  that  time 
his  laughter  passed,  ail^^^succeeded  Jby  a  new 
sensation. 

It  was  o^e  of  intense  delight  at  such  discoven>H 
Now  they  appeared  before  him,  not  ,as  old  iron  and 
old  bone,  but  in  their  true  character.  .  He  was  an 


'■ 


J 


.■« 


VALUE  OF   THE  RELICS. 


^^ 


167 


enthusiastic  antiquarian,  and  all  connected  with  the 
Acadian  French .  excited  his  passionate  interest. 
He  looked  affectionately  at  the  ploughshare.  He 
handled  the  colter  tenderly.  He  examined  one 
by  one^  with  minute  inspection,  the  spikes  and  the 
bolt.  He  scanned  narrowly  and  admiringly  the 
iron  pot.  He  passed  oviery  link  of  the  rusty  chain 
through  his  fingers.  He  lingered  long  and  loving- 
ly over  the  coin^,  closely  examining  every  one  of 
them.  *  He  looked  at  the  bone  with' an^  intense 
curipsity,  mingled  with  deep^sympathy  for  the  un- 
fortunate race  of  which  it  Avas  ,the  reminder. 

He  threw  himself  into  his  a<3mirktion  over  these 
with  the  same  abandonment  of  feeling  that  had 
characterized  his  laughing  fit.  It  was  a  proud  and 
a  delightful  moment  for  the  boys  when  they  found 
that  their  disc'overies  were  so  highly 'prized.  The 
doctor  declared  that  there  was  nothing  in  the 
Museum  to  be  compaWd  with  them,  and  finally 
sent  for  Messrs.  Simmons  and  Losg.  These  gentle- 
men soon  appeared,  and  exhibited  an  interest  in 
these  Acadiah  relics  which  was  fully  equal  to  tha£ 
of  the  doctor. 

But  the  wonder  was,  to  all  of  them,  how  in  tho' 
world  the  boys  h^;^  happened  to  tliink  of  digging 
in  that  particular  place.  .  They  questioned  them 
closely,  though  good  humoredly,  about  this ;  and 
B^rt.  after- 


ivaiii  _efforJ;a.-4t^MadingL  thg-^qucgtJQB^^ 


fiiiafly  told  tjie  ^yhole  story. 

:  Bart  told  that  etory  in  such  a  whimsical  way,  and 


■  /    < 


rj! 


,f 


:',.  ,„V^;. 


mmm 


:-3 


%" 


168^        THE  BOYS  OP  GRAND   Pr6  SCHOOL.' 

^^th  such  an  eye  to  effective  representation,  that 
^    in  five  minutes  he  had  all  his  audience  in  another 
roar  of  laughter,  worse  than  the  first.   He  mimicked 
Captain  Corbet  with  hi^  mineral  rod.    He   told 
about  the  lights  and  the  magic  ceremonies,    ©e 
^ok  off  Solomon  capitally,  and  finally  spoke  of  Tu 
donkey  s  bray,  and  its  result,  concealing  nothing  of 
their  own  terror.     Bart  went  on,  interrupted  all 
the  time  by  the  laughter  of  his  hearers,  and  at  last 
succeeded    m    bringing    his   story  down  to  the 
moment  m  which  he  was  speaking. 


\-  .' 


w 


\  : 
V- 


r.  -1  ;, 


V^ 


>  " 


\ 


\  - 


1% 


•    4 


*  1* 


B,  --£«•. 


:^ 


V 


-k 


on,  that 
another 
micked 
re  told 
s.    ^e 
of  the 
ling  of 
ted  all 
at  last 
to  the 


r 


\ 


IHE  poCTOE'S  PEOPOSAL. 


169 


*  - 


i  XIL       ,  / 

The  Boclor>k  Proposal.  —  Blomidon.  —  The  Expedi- 
tion  by  Lmid.  ~  Tlie  Drive  jby  Mornhg  TioiligU 

r  ^^t  ^'''^^'  ^o^^^«*^-  -  Breakfasting  amid 
the  Splendors  of  Nature.  — The  inimitable  Pros- 

^'  T  ^^  ^^^^^^  ^^^^  ^^'^  '^^ory  of  the  French 
Acadiana.  [  t     * 


^'ir 


-P:YS',"  said  the  doctor,  after  Bart  had  ended 

his  narrative,  « it  isn't  often  that  sitch  non- 

mn^  as^  youj-s  was^turns  out  so  Well  in 

the  en4-r(f  rathe?  haye  this  old  iron  pot,  with 

.  these  old  blablf  sous,>an  even' that  pot  of  gold 

which  daz^e^'your  imaginations"  so  when  you  were 

digging.     If  all  miner^T  rods  were  to  be  so  very 

lucky  as  Captain  Corbet's  was,  we  raight  go  and 

testjerery  old  French  cellar  in  the  coufitry.     I  cai,' 

assureyou  thfe  is  a  gift  of  Ho  coQimon  value.    The 

rust  marks  an^  the  mud  which  ydu  have  made  on 

my  books  and  papers  are   rather  welcome  than 
otoerwiHa.     »— '^'-  ^  - 


^art^a-JboBfr  ouj^tt  fca 


■•V 


receive.  1^ 


careful  examination.    I  think  we'ou^hrto  dil^|' 
*the  whole_ceUar;and  we  mayjftd  mpro  bones  there.  - 


A 


>"•■, 


V       .* 


r^- 


..?/J 


/ 


170     THE  BOYS  OF  GRAND  PR^/ SCHOOL. 

7  * 

"  But  Pve  got  a  proposal  id  make,  which,  pel-- 
haEs,  you  will  think  a  reVi^rd  /or  your  discovery. 
Tc^mortow  is  Saturday.  Hov^  would  you  like 'to 
go  off  wiri  me  on  an  excursic/n  for  tfeday,— you 
and  the  otner  boys.^the  ^ai^e  party,  in  fact,  that 
went  with  Mr.  Long?  "  /  f  ■ 

"  An  excursion  I "  cried  ite  boys,  with  radiant 
faces,    j  .  / 

"Yes^'-said  the  doctor. /"Pve  been  intending 
to  make  I  one  for  some  time./    I  was  disappointed  in 
not  gomjg  with  you  in  the  Schooner.     These  relics 
have  revived  an  idea  whibh  I  had.  last  year,  but 
was  not/able  to  put  in  prakico.     It  is  this:  I  have 
good  reason  to   believe  |that   somewhere  on  tlie 
top  of /Blomidon  there  o^ce  stood  a  French  fort, 
and  tHt  the  ruins  are  v^ry  distinctly  visible  yet' 
I  have  a  very  clear  idea  lin  my  mind  of  the  exact 
locality,  and  think  I  can  fjnd  it  without  any  trouble. 
I  am  very  anxious  to  gb  there,  and  perhaps  we 
can  find  more  French  r0lics  to  add  to  our  little 
stock  in  the  Mu«eum.       I 

"Now,  my  plan  is^hisji  I  will  take  my  Carriages 
and  horses,  and  the  whoje  party  can  be  ac^jommo- 
dated.  We  will  take  provisions  for  the  day.  We 
must  stairt  as  early  as  four  o'clock,  so  as  to  be  at 
the  mountain  ^arly.  We  can  breakfast  over  there. 
After  we  have  found  tho  French  fort,  I  wish  to 
^^^Q  ft  fe^  hours  for  a  quiet  examination  of  the 


i 


'Hcnoi 


aiTTOme^good  placesTof  mmerals,  and 
I  thmk  I  can  obtain  a  basket  fuU  ^without  much 


»' 


\^ 


NEW   PREPA^RATIOifS. 


171 


trouble.  I  will  Be€  about  the  baskets,  shovels,  and 
hammeirs.  We  shall  want  a  spade  or  two,  and  I 
think,  under  the  circumstances,  we  can  spend  a 
very -feasant '  day.  Now,  what  do  you  sa3'  to 
that?^'  I  ,         ■ 

The  answer  of  the  delighted  boys  came  in  a 
perfept  chorus  of  incoherent  and  unintelligible 
words,  in  which,  however,  could  e^ily  be  per- 
ceived  the  language  of  intense  excitement  and  of 
joyous  assent.  / 

"Very  well,"  s^  the  doctor.     "Yoii  let  the 
-other  boys  know,  and  remember  you  must  all, fee 
ready  on  the  spot  by  four  o'clock  to-morrow' morn-' 
ing — not  a  minut-e  later."  ' 

After  this  the  boys  retired  in  great  spirits  to 
let  the  others  know  the  good  fortune  that  awaited 
them  on  the  morrow.  \- 

The  following  morning  came,  and  all  the  boys 
were  on  the  spot  before  the  appointed  time.  The 
doctoif  had  three  double  wagons  ready,  drawn  by 
six  h(l)rse8,  and  filled  with  provisions,  and  all  the 
impWments  that  might,  by  any  possibility,  be  deed- 
ed, /it  was  quite  dark  as  yet,  but  they  started  in 
Mgl/  gtee,  and  as  they  drove  along  it  became  lighter 
QVQ^cy  moment. 

They  all  felt  the  importance  of  the  occasion. 
No  frolicking  this  time.    No  dressing  up  like  scare- 


OTrnrad  flats.    No'^iP' 
ting  lost  in  fogs.     No  feeding  on  clams.     No  star- 
vation.   Everything  was  now  to  be  perfectly  regu- 


V- 


y 


k 


.'Xr. 


172 


THE  BOYS  OP  GRA"ND  PRE  SCHOOL. 


^^^;■ 


^  ^%'  perfectly  orthodox,  and  rather  digni^d.  They 
were  going,  in  the  twofold  capacity  of  archreolo- 
gists  and  geologists,  to  search  after  the  rains  of  an 
Mncient  and  historic  fortress,  -^nd  then  to  find  the 
mate  Of  that  amethyst  which  was  taken  from  her^ 
to  delight  a  king  of  Fra&ce.        ,  / 

At  first,  as  theyT  drove  on  through  the  lev^l 
country,  all  the  fields  and  woods  around  lay  wrapped 
in  shadow;  but  as  they  went  on  the  shcydows 
lessened,  and  they  began  to  see  the  f  rst  rays  of 
da'wn.  Leaving  the  higher  country,  they  at  length 
descended  into  the  dike  la»d,  t^tjiich  they  traversed, 
and  at  length  reached  the  bridge  that  crosses  Coi^n- 
wallis  River.  Then  they  went  oflf  over  the  wi^e 
vale  of  Cornwallis  towards  the  North  Mountain. 

On  and  on.     The  vale^of  Cornwallis  has  five  dif- 
ferent indoctatians,  up  which  the  sea  once  flopped  ; 
but  these  are  now  reclaimed,  and  here  the  greeA 
and  fertile  meadows  spread  out  where  once  was 
red  mud  or  salt  sea.     On  the  long  ridges  between 
these  diked  districts  are  the  houses  of  the  farm- 
ers, and  woods,  and  orchards,  and  groves,  and  gar- 
dens.    On  every  side  are  the  evidences  of  pleniy 
and  prosperity.      Here  and  there   small  villages 
appear,  the  centre  of  tiade.     The  roads  are  numef- 
ous,  runrihig  every  wa^,  and^  are  known  by  the 
name  of  streets.     Nowhere  can  a  country  be  found 
which  enjoys  a«greater  abundance  of  all  the  richest 
^ifla  uf  iiatnreri  larger-measuferorffl^iRttr?^^ 
charm  the  eye,  or  invigorate  the  body,  ^  confer 


They 
^haeolo- 
18  of  an 
ind  the 
10  here- 

i  levQl 
rapped 
Inflows 
ays  of 
length 
'^ersed, 
}  Coi^n- 
3  wii^e 
ain. 
ve  dif- 
owed ; 
greei^ 
e  was 
tween 
farm- 
d  gar- 
Dienty 
Ilages 
umei'- 
j  the 
found 

* 

ichest 


t  9an 
sonfer 


•  THE  MOBNING   RIDE. 


173 


wealth  and  prosperity.  Nowhere  in  tlie^world  can 
actual  working  farmers  be  found  whose  tables  are 
so  loaded  with  varied  and  substantial  dish^-^  .,The 
Cornwaliis  farmers  have  not  yet  les^rne^fM'^e 
everything  that  they  have  for  purposes  of  trade. 
They  are  satisfied  with  making  money  on  one  or 
twb  leading  products,  but  reserve  their  turkeys, 
and  chickens,  and  cheese,  and  hams,  and  eggs,  and 
apples,  and  plums,  tonvei^h  down  their  own  din- 
ner tables. 

On^hey  weni   through  streets,  as   they  were 
called,  —  which  in  some  places  were  so  closely  bor- 
dered  with  housed,  that  they  dese^-ved  the  nanje,— 
.past  beautiful  villd^  hidden  am(j|^  trees,  past  rich 
orchards,    past    long    hedg^rovr8,^p^st-  churches 
which  pointed  hoavenwafd  their:  tapering  spires  ; 
on  they  rpde  through  busy  jjttle  villages,  over  the 
broad  dike  lands,  whose  rich(grean  roBe  :extended 
far  away  on  either  side;  alpng-tbe  edgexof  deep^ 
mud  gulches,  which  were  to  be  filled  by  the  rising 
tide  ;  over  roads  where  there  wa^  not  a  stone  to  be  ■ 
s^en,  but  only  that  soft,  red  soil  wl^i^h  makes  such 
Hch  fields,  but  such  wretched  pihs ;  and  still,  as  ' 
they  went  vp|^  it  Constantly  grew  brighter,  until  at. 
last  the  red  sun  bounded  up  into  the  sky,  and  threw 
ms  glow  over  all  the  sc6ne.  v  ' 

At  lengU  the^r  approachedghe  Nor4  Mountain. 
-The  ^jat^atawarda  whic^flP  weni  was  six  or 


:B 


( 


seven  miles  this  side  of  C8i|pWoiaidon,  and  the- 
carnage  road  wou&d  up  it  oniits  i^y  to  settlements 


\ 


I 


174  THE  BOTS^  OP  GRAND  PR6  SdkoOL. 

on  the  shore  of  the  Bay  of  Fundy.  Up  this  road 
they  went,  and  soon  they  all  reached  the  top  of 
the  hill.  ^ 

They  drove  for  a  mile  along  the  ridge  of  the 
North  Mountain,  and  at  length  came  to  a  place 
where   the   roadside  was  bare  of  trees,  and  ihe 
hillside   sloped  very  abruptly  down  towards  the 
plain.     It  was  a  place  well  known  to  all  of  them. 
It  was  a  favorite  resort  for  the  whole  country  on 
-,sions  of  picnics  or  driving  parties.     Every- 
here  was  /amiliar  —  the  brook  where  they 
get  water,  the  big  stone  against  which  they 
build  their  fire.     Here  they  drew  up  their 
horses,  and  prepared  to  take  their  breakfast.     The 
fire  was  soon  burning;  the  kettle  was  filled  with 
water,  and  was  soon  boiling ;  the  tea  was  made,  and" 
the  ample  repast  was  spread  out  upon  the  grass. 
H^re  they  sat,  satisfying  their  hunger,  rendered 
keen  by  over  t\yo  hours'  driving  in  the  fresh  morn- 
ing air,  chatting  merrily,  and  lobting  forth  from 
their  lofty  seat  upon  one  of  the  most  glorious  views 
that  can  be  conceived.  '   , 

In  truth,  it  was  a  glorious  prospect.  Beneath 
tbe^  lay  the  plains  of  Cornwallis,  which  'ail  stood 
reyeaJed  to  their  elevated  position  with  liat  pecu- 
liar effect  known  as  "a  bird's  eye  viewl"  There 
the  valleys  spread  away  with  their*  intervening 
ridges;  there  ran  the  long,  straight  streets;  there 
"rose  Ihe  villarifflB^Weredamon^^ 
farm-^uses,  and  the  tapering  spires  of  churches. 


1- 


■I'Bt"'" 


THE  PROSPECT. 


175 


^The  vivid  green  of  the  dike  UH  surrounded  all 
this,  streaked  here  and  there  b^he  long  lines  of 
weodland  that  rose  on  the  low  Hdges,  dotted  by 
groves  and  orchards,  and  intersected  by  the  red- 
colored  soil  of  the  roads.     Far  awl^yn5i^the  oppo- 
sit©  side  lay  the  slopes  of  Gtand  Pj-^,  with  the 
gleaming  white  bf  the  houses  dotting  the  green 
fields,  and  there  weto  the  outlihes  of  familiar  ob- 
jects, conspicuous  among  which  was  the  Academy, 
which   rose   immediately  opposite,  though  many 
miles   away.     Between  "them  .the    sea   rolled   its 
waters,  extending  far  away  towards  the  left,  where 
•   the  shores  were  so  low  that  in  one  place  the  sea 
and  sl^  seetned  to  blend  together ;  but  in  other  ' 
places  the  shores  stood  out  in  bolder  reliefs,  and  • 
there  arose    precipitous  cliffs*  and  abrupt  bluffs, 
and  lofty  hills.     Th^sewero  on  the  extreme    left' 
where  the  eye  could  emVace  a  prospect  that  ex' 
tended  for  fifty  miles,  while  on  the  tight  the  eye 
could  yrander  for  many  a  mile,  far  away  along  that 
valley  which  lies  between  the  North  Mountain  and 
the  South,  and  out  of  which  there  now  came  the 
CornwaTlis  River,  with  many  a  winding  to  receive' 
the  flood  tide  of-i^he  Basin  of  Minas. 

It  was  upon  this  scene  that  they  gazed  as  they 
took  their  breakfast;  and  while  the  emotions  of    . 
each  were  different,  all  felt  the  same  general  koW 
-^at  was  naturally  produced  by  the  exfiilaratTofoT^ 
,  such  a  prospect  and  such  a  position.     Blomi^n 
could  not  be  seen,  for  that  w^hidden  behincf  a  . 


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l*>'ii.tff.Jc« 


176 


THE  BOYS  OP  QBAND  PSt   SCHOOL. 


projection  on  tho  coastline  that  ran  down  towards 
"t™n''7«'        *^."V'''  "'''"■^^'  ^"^'^^d  of  tl<at 

h  rTald "the         f   ''^^''"°"  °^  *'"''^  P-"ion 
Here  and  the  peculiar  way  in  which  the  plain  lay 

pread  on  at  their  feet,  and  the  vast  extent  of 
country  which  was  embraced  by  the  eye,  served, 
m  some  measure  to  make  ameftds  for  the  absence 
of  the  majestic  cliff.  V 

_A«d  th«re,  beneath  them,  the  waters  spread 
afar,  red  an^  turbid  near  the  shore,  but  farther  out. 
changing  to  deep  blue ;   while  towards  the  left 
where  Blom.don  lay  hid,  guarding  the  strait,  they' 
could  see  a  mass  of  fog,  which  had  been  thrurt 
18  from  the  outside  bay,  and  stood  there  a  grav 
opaque    waU,  towering    high  above    the  wfter 
tven  as  they  gazed,  there  shot  out  from  that  gray 
mass  of  fog  a  little  schooner,  which  had  thus 
leaped  m  a  moment  from  darkness  into  sunlight 
and,  hke  a   bird   escaping  suddenly  from  some' 
gloomy  cage,  seemed  to  spread  her  wings  ioy- 
ously,  and   move   exultantly  through  the  fresh 
clear  air.  i  ' 

"What  a  glorious  prospect  I "  exclaimed  Dr 
Porter,  who  had  been  silently  enjoying  the  view 
for  a  long  time.    "Is  it  any  wonder  that  the  old 

Xand  made  ^uohT''^  "^  ""'"  °°  ^'""^ 

oacK  alter  they  had  been  driren  out  ?"  '"~    "^ —_ ^ 

"  Did  they  try  to  get  bad^r  ?  "  asked  Bart. 

■  r 


■ 


THE  ACADIAN8. 


177 


■' 


% 


« I  should  think  they  did  ;  and  many  succeeded, 
though  they  could  not  live  again  in  Grand  Prd! 
But  what  a  bitter  thing  it  was  to  be  torn,  as  they 

.     were  torn,  from  such  a  home  as  this,  and  scattered 
at  random  over  all  the  coast  of  North  America  y' 
"Wasn't    the   goveiiiment    sorry    for  it  after- 

,     w^rds  ?  "  asked  Tom. 

\^y4"0,  no;  it  was  one  of  the  cruelties  of  war 
After  all,  it  was  not  as  bad  as  the  sack  of  a  city 
or  even  th6  bombardment  of  one.  All  these  things 
are  alike  abominable,  and  full  of  horror.  The 
government  considered  themselves  weU  rid  of 
people  who  were  a  trouble  to  them.     That's  all." 

"But  I  don't  see  why  they  couldn't  have  let 
them  alone." 

"It's  a  sad  story,"  said  the  doctor,  shaking  his 
head.     «  I'll  teU  you  about  it." 

At  this  the  boys  all  gathered  around  him.  Some 
of  them  kn'ew  that  story  pretty  well ;  but  others 
did  not,  and  even  those  who  did  were  very  glad  of 
the  chance  of  hearing  it  again. 

"You  all  know  about  the  discovery  of  America 
by  Columbus,"  began  the  doctor,  "and  the  voy- 
ages of  Cabot  immediatoly  after.     The  French  " 
soon  rivalled  the  English,  and  Spanish,  and  Portu- 
guese.  Cartier  and  Champlain  sailed  ovdr  all  these 
seas,  and  by  aU  these  coaSts,  devoting  themselves 
chiefly  to  wh^at  is  DOW  British  America.    UU^ees^ 


tamly  a  strange  thing  that  the  part  of  America 
which   was  originaUy  British    should  now  have 
*       12 


m 


178     THE  BdYB  OP  GRAND  PRE  SCHOOL. 

.passed  away  from  British  rule,  and  the  only  British 
America  now  should  be  that  which  was  originallv 
French.  ^ 

^  "Many  years  passed  away,  and  no  colonies  were 
formed.     At  last,  at   nearly  the  same  time,  the 
French  and   English   both   began.     The   French 
Wver,  were  first.    They^came  over,  and  in  1606 
.  founded  Port  Koyal  — now  Annapolis,  you  know 
A  year  or  two  after,  the  English  founded  James- 
town, and  the  French  Quebec.     So,  you  see,  our 
httJe  Annapolis  is  the  oldest  place  on  the  continent 
of  America  founded  by  Europeans,  with,  perhaps,    ' 
the  exception  of  St.  Augustine,  in  Florida. 

"  This  beginning  showed  how  things  would  go      . 
The  English    took  the   Atlantic    seaboard,    from  J^ 
Massachusetts  to  the  Carolinas,  while  the  Fi-ench'^Wr 
took  those  countries  that  are  now  British  prov^ . 
incos."  At  first  but  little  progress  was  made 'in 
this  poufttry.     Its  history  consists  chiefly  of  the 
rivalry  of  two  leading  French  families,  who  main- 
taine*  trading  s&tions^  and  struggled  for  the  pre-    ' 
eminence  out    here,   and    for   support   from  the 
French  government.     Still  the  settlements  grew, 
and  not  long  after  Port  Royal  was  founded,  the 
French  established  other  places  also,  and  among 
them   Grand  Pr^  settlement.      They  came  here, 
cleared   the  forest,  diked  the   marshes,  and  soon 
became  a  prosperous  and  a  happy  community. 
"So  things  went  on.    Meanwhile,  the  Ffencti^— 


\  . 


and  Jinghsh  were  engaged  in  continual  wars.   Port 


THE  ACADUNS. 


y  British 
riginally 

ies  were 
ime,  the 
Frencli, 

in  1606 
II  know. 

James- 
see,  our 
)ntinent 
)erhap8, 

)uld  go.   ^^ 
I,    from  J^V 

1  prov-» 
lade  in 

of  the 
)  main- 
he  pre- 
ra  the 

grew, 
id,  the 
among 

here, 
1  soon 


179 


\    . 


•Veiich^ 
Port 


.  Royal  was  captured  some  half  a  dozen  times. 
But  at  length  one  of  these  wars  was  concluded  by 
the  peace  of  Utrecht,  in  1713,  by  which  this  prov- 
ince was  ceded  to  the  English. 

J\^u  ?u    i'""^  ""^  *^^  '^««^'°°  '^  ^as  supposed 
that  all  the  French  population  would  retire      The 
English  allowed  them  a  year  to  sell  their  property 
and  depart;  with  the  permission  to  remain,  how 
?ver,  ,f  they  would  t^ke  the  oath  Of  allegiance. 
But  none  were  willing  to  take  the  oath.    As  to 
going  away,  that   soon  proved  to  be   a  difficult 
matter     In  the  first  place,  it  was  impossible  for 
them  to  sell  their  farms,  for  there  were  none  to 
buy  them.     In  the  second  pkce,  it  was  impossible 
to  get  away,  for  there  were  no  ships  to  take  them. 
Ihe  French  government  WQuld  nht  send  ships, 
for  they  hoped  in  the  course  of  time  to  get  back 
the  country  and  preferred  that-tl^is  French  popu- 
lation  should  remain.     The  En^hsh,  on  the  other 
hand,  wouldn't  send  their  ships,'first,  because  they 
thought  It  was  the  business  of  the  French  govern^ 
ment  to  do  so ;  and  secondly,  because  the  state  of 
affairs  out  here   scarcely   excited  any  attention 
whatever  m  the  home  government.    • 

"  Meanwhile,  the  English  held  the  country,  after 

a  fashion.     They  didn't  establish   any  towns    or 

^end  out  any  emigrants,  but  merely  sent  a  governor 

Jo  Ann^ap^ohs^aa  they  jww  Galled  p^^^ 

a  nominal   regiment  of  soldiers.     These  soldiers 

were  neglected  most  abominably.     Their  numbers 


■^"f 


J 


'4'-  t\' 


r^'-v 


180  '  ^  THE  BOYS  OP  GRAM)  PR6  SCHOOL. 

dwmdied  dowp  to  a  small  company;  they  were 
ragged  and^  without  sufficient  arms  and  ammuni- 

to  England,  and  lived  there,  drawing  his  pay  and 

q».tmg  the  country,  had  increased  in  numbel  to 
an  alarmmg  extent.    So  an  a£ten,pt  was  made  to 

IL  f  ^  ,  T  *"  """^  "^  allegiance  to  the 
King  of  England  This  they  refused  to  do,  unless 
a  proviso  were  inserted  in  the  oath,  '  that  they 
vshould  not  be  called  upon  to  bear  irms '  The 
governor,  after  some  demur,  acceded  to  this  re- 
quest,  and  wrote  the  proviso  on  the  margin  of  the 
document,  which  was  then  signed.  After  this 'the 
Jinghsh  government  repudiated  this  as  utterly 
unreasonable,  and  other  gbvernors  made  various 

ITI.  ^,  hj'""'^  *»  "g"  »°  ""conditional 
oath  but  only  will,  partial  success.    The  majority    ^ 

f ,  .'"?  ^  T^  ^^^  indulgence  which  had  been 
eranted  by  the  proviso,  and  in  accordance  with 
th.s  they  determined  V  help  neither  party,  not 
even  their  own  counti^en.    They  assumed  the 

"  The  EngUsh  could  do  \pothing.    There  was 


^^^^^^^o^i^^-ZT^ 


:^'-' 


hey  were 
ammuni- 

rnor  went 
pay,  and 

r  the  best 

inade    an 
stead  of 
nibers  to 
made  to 
3  to  the 
0,  unless 
lat  they 
J.'     The 
this  re- 
n  of^the 
this  the 
utterly 
various 
ditional 
Qajority 
td  been 
ce  with 
'ty,  not 
led  the 
own  to 

'6  was 
thougfc=:== 
>f,  yet 


THE  ACADIANS. 


^81 


the   soldiers    and   the    fort    formed  hut  .    1    . 
representation  of   the   power    of   Britai.       Th 

prosperous      tL:?  ""'  '^""^^^"^  ^^  -- 
and   inWrioutTnd^rntSd^'^  ^'  ^^™'' 
thing,  they  maintained  Toft  fa^hfni^'  1  ^'""'''^ 
tion  of  neutrah>v      v        f  *^*^^^""7  their  posi. 

them  to  route  ttmr''l'^'°*^   ^^^^  ^^^-S 
response.  Tench  m-      '''''"'  '"'  "^^*  ^^^h  no 
agents  L  the  ^1^"'''"''^  P"^^*^'  '^^^^'^^  «« 
LLsbourg    ried    o    r^""r"  ^^  Q^^^ec  and 
bat  without  much  sue tj '  1^"  '""^''^  ^^^^^' 
from  Louisbourg  aga  nltAnn       r'^?^'''""  ^^°^« 
dians  did  not  join  ft     Ont  T^      '"'  ''^  ^^^- 
vading  armv  tl^     i        7  ^  ^^'"^  J^^^^^  ^he  in,/ 
Annap'ol^l;- 1^^^^^^^^^^^  "^^'^  -  attack  on  " 

beat  them  off     No  f?'^  ^^''^^"°  ^^^^  ^^ble  to 
than  this  in lavofof^h^^^^^^^^  ^^  ^^^^^^ 

their  dispositions,  an^t^rtdS:^ 
keep  out  of  all  difficulties      Th  ?  ^^7"°  "^tion  to 

they  professed  til  ma  Ifn!/  "^''^  ^^^^^ 

was  possible  for  any^TmX 

-iS^a^r  -f  " -:  t^: 

-ds  of  emigrants,  ZltZ:  toTn  oTna^ 
Th.s  was  intended  ^  be  a  counter^  ^t^^Q^tbt 


*/ 


^182  THE  BO YB  or ^^R AND   PRi;  SCHOOL. 

and  also  an  assertion  \  of  their  power  in  the 
Province  of  Nova  Scolia.  Besides  this  place, 
which  they  made  the  capiial,  instead  of  Annapolis, 
they  formed  other  settlements. 

"  But  ,they  soon  found  themselves  cramped.  The 
French,  ha^ng  been  there  first,  had  taken  posses- 
8i(5h  of  all  the  most  eligible  lands..  The  places  to 
which  emigrants  would  most  wish  to  go  were 
already  filled  up.  Annapdlis,  and  Grand  Prd,  and 
other  places  were  occupied ;  and  the  Epglish  who 
wished  to  settle  had  to  go  to  places  Avhich  were  far 
inferior.  jBesides  this,  the  English  wanted  every 
man  in  the  country  to  be  an  active  assistant,  —  not 
a  neutral.  All  these,  things  combined  to  make  the 
question  of  the  Acadians  a  Very  troublesome  one. 
The  very  faithfulness  with  which  they  had  main- 
tained their  professions  of  neutrality  made  it  all  the 
more  difficult;  and  for  some  years  the  English 
settlers  found  themselves  thus  shut  out  from  the . 
best  part  of  the  province,  arid  confined  to  those 
portions  whroh  could  .never  be  developed  to  any 
extent.     "  * 

"You  must  remember  that  it  was  not  the 
Province  of  Nova  Scotia,  but  all  the  British  colonies 
in  America,  that  participated  in  this  question.  All 
along  the  Atlantic  coast  the  provinces  watched 
with  ea^er  interest  the  progress  of  the  English 
settlement  hefe.    Hundreds  came  to  Halifax  from 


Massachusetts  and  New  York.     They  all  belonge^i 
to  that  great  English  party  which,  on  this  aide  of 


V 

* 

/ 

the  / 

)lace/             • 

p 

polis, 

THE  ACADIANS. 


18 


f 

the  Atlantic,  was  carrying  on  a  never-ending  w£^r 
with  the  French.     It  was  a  question  between  the 
French  and   English   races,   which   should    ruk 
The  English  were  far  superior  as  colonizers,  the 
French  as  organisers.     The  English  settlers  in- 
creased and  multiplied ;  the  French  kept  up  formida- 
ble  forts  and  armies,  and  enlisted  vast  numbers  of 
Indians  on  their  side.     There  were  a  million  an^  a 
half  of  English,  but  not  a  hundred  thousand  Fren(^h ; 
yet  the  French  kept  armies  oh  foot  which   the 
English  could  barely  equal.     Besides,  the  Fr4ch 
had  a  grand  scheme  by  which  they  hoped  to  crush 
the  growth  of  the  English,  and  finally  subdue  them. 
They  held  all  the  valley  of  the  St.  Lawrence,  and 
the  valley  of  the  Mississippi.     They  had  settle- 
ments  on  both  rivers,  and  their  great  scheme  was 
to  build  a  line  of  forts  from  the  Mississippi  to  the 
St.  Lawrence,  which  should  act  as  a  wall  to  hem  in 
the  English,  and  keep  them  within  that  narrow  line 
of  territory  which  lies  along  the  Atlantic  shore. 
All  this  alarmed  the  colonies.     They  were  ready 
to  fight  against  the  French  for  this  boundary  line, 
and  were  determined  from  the  very  outset  to  rec- 
ognize no  barrier  whatever  against  their  progress 
westward.     Nominal    peace    nxight    be   between 
France  and  England  at  home,  but  out  here  there 
was  never  peace.    War  went  on  all  along  thtf'line 
of  forts,  and  the  French,  with  their  Indiana,  ptrug^ 
gled  with  the  hardy  English  colonists.    Betweea 
all  the  English  colonies  there  was  one  universal 


# 


184     THR  BOYS  OF  GRAND  PR6  SCHOOL. 

,flympathy ;  and  while  Nova  Scotia  watobed  the 
i)rogre88  of  her  more  southern  sisters  with  intense 
interest,  they,  on  their  part,  Watched  the  progress 
of  affairs  in  Nova  Stfotia  with  interest  no  less 
intense.  All  wore  alike  struggling  with  one  com- 
mon enemy.  Massachusetts,  New  York  Penn- 
sylvania, Virginia,  all  were  watching  to  see  how 
Halifax  would  deal  with  the  Acadians,  or  with 
Louisbourg;  while  Nova  Scotia  was  waiting  to 
see  how  th^y  would  deal  with  the  Ohio  forts. 

"  You  may  imagine,  then,  what  was  the  feeling 
here  when  the  news  came  of  the  expedition  of  that 
thick-headed  and  pragmatical  fool  General  Brad- 
dock;  of  his  disastrous  and  abominiible  defeat 
when  his  army  was  ruined,  and  his  own|  life  thrown 
away,  by  a  miserably  inferior  numbeif  of  French 
and  Indians.  A  panic  spread  everywhere,  and 
that  panic  which  ran  through  the  otter  colonies 
was  strong  in  Nova  Scotia.  / 

'    "Soon  after,  an  opportunity  arose  to  deal  with 
the  Acadians.    The  governor  was  a  strong-willed 
determined,  and  energetic  man.     A  powerful  fleet 
and  army  had  assembled  at  Halifax!     It  was  re- 
solved  to  deal  summarily  with  the  A<iadians. 

"  But  how  ?    That  was  the  question.     It  would 
not  do  to  march  an  army  against  t|iem  and  expel' 
them  from  their  homes.     They  wodd  merely  fly  to 
tho  woods,  and   when  the   army /had  left,   they 
would  come  back.    So  it  was  resolved  to  expeF  ^ 


them  from  their  homes  altogeth( 


i 


THE  ACADIANS. 


185 


"But  how?  Again  the  question  arose.  If  they 
merely  expelled  them,  giving  them  the  liberty  of 
nymg  anywhere,  they  would  all  go  to  Cape  Breton 
to  8\irell  the  numbers  of  their  foes.  If  they  conveyed 
them  away  to  any  particular  place,  they  might  be 
lormidablo  from  their  numbers,  and  find  means  of 
coming  back  in  a  body.  So  it  was  determined  to 
carry  them  off  from  Nova  Scotia,  and  scatter  them 
a^^widely  as  possible  over  all  the  colonies  along  the 
Atlantic  coast. 

"By  way  of  a  beginning,  they  resolved  to  give 
the  Acadians  one  last  chance  to  take  the  oath  of 
allegiance,  though  tliey  knew  that  the  offer  was 
useless.  So  they  sent  "for  the  leading  men  of  the 
settlements,  and  brought  them  to  Halifax.  There 
they  were  told  that  they  must  take  the  oath,  or 
submit  to  punishment.  The  Acadians  refused,  and 
pleaded  their  rights  as  neutrals.^heir  plea  was 
rejected,  and  they  were  imprisoii^ 

"After  this  the  measures  which  were  taken  were 
swift  and  summary.  Before  the  Acadians  could 
know  wJiat  had  happened,  British  troops  appeared 
at  each  of  the  settlements:  At  Grand  Vr6  they 
summoned  all  the  inhabitants  to  a  place  of  meeting. 
1  he  Acadians  came  without  suspicion.  There  they 
were  air  arrested.  Vessels  were  all  ready  to 
receive  them,  and  they  were  ^t  on  board.  Hus- 
bands  WQre  separated  from  their  wives,  fathers 
from  their  children,  never  to  meet  again.  They" 
were  all  packed  on  Wrd  of  the  vessels.    These 


/ 


I 


♦* 


186 


THE  BOYS  OP  OBAND  Pnfc  SCHOOL. 


.Ve88,l8  were  nearly  all  small  schoonors;  wlrioh  had 
been  chartered  by  the  Bover„„,e„t  for  ti". 

■no8s  from   eomo   Boston    merehants.    ,Last  yZ 
when  I  was  at  Halifax,  I  saw  a^ong  the  C» 

^eoua  ...cluves  the  aecounts  of  these^erdZt! 

■••    SI    f  8°™':""'^"'  of  Nova  Seotia  for  the 

expenses  of  carrying  off  the  Aosdians.     I  took  a 

copy  of  onoor  two,  whicia,vill  shawyou  some  day. 

lie  Acadians  wore  thus  in  a  moment  snatched 

from  the,r  pleasant  homes  in  this  beautiful  county 

and  separated  from  ono  another,  and  packed  ii 

,   small  Bchooners,  and  carried  far  away, -some    o 

Massachusetts,  some  to  New  York,  some  toPl.ila"  <• 

S'rr  V'^'T'  """*  ^""^  "•«  Carolina^ 
fered  "Tr^"'""'  "f  «"'"<!  P"--^  ^ff-etl,  all  suf- 

over  the  aT  T"  """"^  ''™^'  ''"'^  ^™"'^"^d  "« 
.    pver  the  Atlantic  coast.    A  few  found  their  way 

b^cfc  But  most  of  them  lived  and  died  in  exile^ 
a^d  there  were  fr.ends  divided,  a«d  husbai,ds.and 
Z,  "'.™™*V  "'«'  '■''"""<'«  scattered,  nev*r=to 
meet  again  oi^arth.but  to  wear  o^t  their  lives  in 
a  foreign  land,  with  the  loss  of  all  that  w^s  most 

j»ar.    But  what's  the  use  of  enlarging  on  this ? 

^f  you  want  to  know  more  about  it,  go  and  read 
Longfellow's  Evangeline." 

The  doctor  eeAed.    The  boys  were  sile'nt,  and 
m  tha   81  enp e4he  thoughts  of  all  wandered  sadly 

waters      1  ^'r'^f'   *''^'«    *"«^   '"'d   'he^e 


.^ 


'     41.  I 


A  PBESH,  8TABT. 


187 


Inch  had 
his  busi- 
est y€far, 

crchapts 
for  the 
I  took  a 
)me  da}', 
snatched 
country, 
eked,  in 
some  to 

0  Phila-  '' 
iroHnas. 

all  suf- 
ered  all 
}ir  way 
i  exile  ; 
ids.and 
vi§r  to 
lives  in 
8  most 

1  this? 
i  tead 

it,  and 

sadly 

these 
tf  ihe-= 


c^ 


K 


\  ' 


N 


J' 


<    XIII. 

o 

Pluming  into  the  DeptJia  of  the  primeval  Forest.  — 
Over  Rock,  Bush]  (ind  Brier. -^  A  toilsome  March. 
—  The  Ban-ens.  ~  Where  are  iv^?  —  General 
Beioilderment  of  the  Wanderers,  ~  The  Doctor 
has  lost  his  Way.  —  Emerging  suddenly  at  the 
Edge  of  a  giant  Cliff  loith  the  ,Boom  of  the  Surf 
beneathr~^  , 


m 


}T  le'ng^i  the  doctor  rose,  and  the  boys  all 
followed  him /to  the  carriages.     Getting  in, 
they  drove  a  short  distance  ;  and  here  the- 
doctor  informed  them  that  he  was  going  to  leave 
the   h9tses  and   carriages.     "We'll   take   to   the 
Woodriiow,"  said  he,  "  and  you  must  prepare  for 
a  good,  loBg,  steady  tramp.  /We'll  want  a  feM 
things,  though,  to  take  with  us.     Two  spades  will 
be  enough,  one   hammer,  and'  an  empty  basket. 
You  may  divide  these  among  yourg^ves.    Each  of 
you  had  bettet  take  soBgipy,8aii4wichea  mt  of  that ' 
basket,  and  a^thing  else  you  n^ay  think  necessary 

Jo^p  you^i%9n  ^ur  expedition."  \'        

TITe  bo]^Vent;^fl^^  «a  a^^^ock  of 

provisions.    As  they  expected  to  be  ion  the  move 


I. 


**■ 


^ 


d 


188 


THE  EOYS   pp  GRAND   PR6   SCHOOL.- 


all  day,  each  oner  took  enough  to  laat  him     The 
spades  <fec.,  they  divided  among  ihmsefves,  with 
the  understanding  that,  when  those  who  first  car- 
ried  them  grem  tired,  they  should  be  relieved  by 
the  others.     The  horses  a^d  wagons  were  left  in 
charge  of  the  people  of  the  house,  with  whom  the 
doctor  had  some  acquaintance.     ^ 
^       After  these  preliminaries  the  doctor  warned  the 
boys  that  he  intended  to  plunge  boldly  into  the 
woods.     Sqme   friends  of  his   had  formerly  gone 
over  the   woods    to    the    right,   which  extended 
towards  Cape  Blomidon,  but  had  found  nothing 
He  had  made  up  his  mind  that  if  the  fort  were 
any^vhere,  it  would  be  found  atnonglfche  woods  on 
the   left,  and    here   was    the   country  which  he 
intended  to  explore. 
■  They  then  started,  the  doctor  taking  the  lead 
and  soon  turned  into  ihe  woods.     They  entered  a 
rough   pathway,  whicU   had   been  formed   by  ox 
teams  m  winter  while  hauling  out  lumber  and  cord 
wood.     It  was  now  about  nine  o'clock. 

After  a  time  the  pathway  divided  into  several 
others,  one  of  which  the  doctor  chose,  and  went 
on,  but  soon  found  that  it  wound  away  in  a  direc- 
^n  that  did  not  suit  him.  He  walked  on  a  little 
M-ther,  and  then,^.coming  to  place  where  the  woods'' 
were  fess  den^e,  he  turAed  aside,  and,  with  aU  his 
followers  aj^  his  back,  plunged  into  the  primeval 
~^r©8t. 


5v.'i-'> 


At  first  the  walking  "was  ncJt  difficult,  the  trees 


-i»,* 


THE  TRAMP. 


^89 


im.  The 
ves,  with 
first  car- 
eved  by 
e  left  in 
'horn  the 

rned  the 
into  the 
ly  gone 
xtended 
nothing, 
rt  were 
oods  on 
lich  he 

»e  lead, 

tered  a 

by  ox 

id  cord 


several 
i  went 
I  direc- 
a  little 
woods 
all  his 
imeval 


v^- 


trees 


standing  far  apart,  and  the  soU  beneath  being 
covered  with  moss  and  long  ferns ;  but  after  a  time 
the  woods  grew  denser,  and  it  was  only  with  con- 
siderable  effort  that  they  were  able  to  move  along 
Every  step  seemed  to  make  it  worse.   Long,  slender 
trees  shot  np,  not  large  enough  to  p^,nt  their 
progress    but  sufficient  to  form  an  Hgediment : 
and  working  their  way  among  these  proved  very 
diffici^t,  and  very  fatiguing.    What  wa^  worse,  the 
ground  began  to   grow  rougher  at  every  step. 
Soon  t  ley  emerged  from  the  thick  underbrush,  and 
came  to  where  the  trees  were  larger,  and  farther 
apart  from  one  another.    But  here  the  ground  was 
spongy;  and  in  every  direction  lay  fallen  trunks 
of  trees,  some  prostrated  but  lately,  others  lyins 
where  they  had  lain  for  years,  in  every  stage  of 
decay.     These  they  had  to  clamber  over,  or  crawl 
under;  and  so  it  was  that,  in  order  to  make  any 
progress,  they  were  compelled  td  use  their  hands" 
as  well  as  their  feet.    The  soil  beneath  was  hidden 
under  a  covering  of  moss ;  but  it  was  swampy  and 
spongy,  and  the  soft  earth  was  interlaced  with  lon^ 
fibrous  roots,  in  which  their  feet  caught  at  even^' 
6therstep.     This  moss  overspread  everything     It 
grew  over  the  fallen  trees ;  it  enfolded  in  its  g'reen 
mantle  the  huge  granite  bowlders  that  from  time  to 
tune  upreared  themselves  beneath  the  trees 
— At  jen^  they  eame  ta nr  slffht  tm  in  the" 
ground,  where  the  .soil  was  dryer.    Here  the  doc 
tor  paused,  and  the  hoys  all  flung  themselves  down 


I -■ 


I 


t 


190 


THE  BOYS  OP  GRAND  PR6  SCHOOL. 


on    the    ground,   breathing   heavily.      They  lad 
walked  for  two  hours  now,  without  stopping,  and 
began  to  feel  exhausted.     The  doctor  also  showed 
signs  of  exhaustion.     He  said  nothing,  however 
but  scanned  very  narrowly  the  scene  around  him  " 
Ho  found  but  little  before  his  eyes  that  was  in 
any  way  different  from  what  he  had  been  looking 
at  for  the  last  two  hours.     He  could  see  a  few 
,    paces  before  him,  but  no  farther.     There  the  trees 
arose,  and  the   prospect   terminated   in  the  dim 
aisles  of  the   forest,  with   their   shadowy  vistas. 
All  around  —  before,  behind,  and  on  either  side  — 
It  was  the  same.     There  was  the  dense  forest,  just 
Buch  a  forest  as  they  had  traversed  —  it  spread 
all  around  them.     The  only  place  where  a  view 
could  be  had  for  any  distance  was  overhead. 

But  even  here  it  was  no  better.  For  the  boys 
as  they  flung  themselves  down,  saw  that  during 
their  journey  a  change  had  taken  place  overhead. 
The  blue  sky  was  no  longer  to  be  seen.  In  its 
place  there  came  close  down  a  dull,  gray,  indis- 
tinct  haze,  which  descended  even  to  where  they 
lay,  hiding  th^ree  tops  from  view. 
It  was  the  fog. 

Such  a  common  circumstance  elicited  no  sur- 
prise, of  course.  It  was  no  more  than  might  have 
been  expected.  The  wind  had  changed,  and  the 
fog  of  the  Bay  of  Fundy  had  rushed  over  Blomidon, 

and_theyJntM8e^dlm  woods,  wereatw  enveloped 
m  Its  folds.    Nor  was  it  so  much  a  matter  of 


DIFFICDLTIE3. 


191 


^et  to  them  as  it  might  have  been  under  other 

JitrT^'""'"  ^''^  '"  '""  ^°'''  i'  ■""'Jo  but 
little  difference  m  their  situation.    Even  if  the 

sun  were  shining  brightly  overhead,  the  ground 
beneath  would  be  just  as  swampy,  the  fallen  trees 
as  troublesome,  the  underbrush  as  thick 

Whatever  were  the  doctor's  own  private  feel- 
ings,  he  kept  them  to  himself,  and  surveyed  the 
scene  m  silence.  At  length  ho  made  up  his  mind 
as  to  his  course,  and  once  more  started  for  his 
onward  journey.  . 

The  journey  was  the  same  as  before.  Some- 
times  a  great  growth  of  underbrush  would  impede 
their  progress,  and  that  underbrush  would  vary 
from  the  tall,  slender  stems  of  the  young  maples  to 
the  dense  and  prickly  spines  of  the' youfg  spru  es! 

fl„  r'  *'''  '""''  ^™"'''  ^'^"'1  «Part,  the 

scene  would  expand,  and  they  would  be  enciicled 
by  a  dense  array  of  forest  columns,  between  which 

'«meJ'2'^'>  '  r.'"""^"^  ""-^  eloom.  Some- 
times  they  plunged  into  swamps,  unawares;  at 
oth«- times  they  tore  their  way  through  ferns  and 
t  a,l,ng  plants;  again  Ihey  were  compelled  to 
cl^b  over  fallen  trees,' or  crawl  under  them! 
Once  they  came  to  a  place  which  was  quite  bare 

th»    t   1         P'"™'  ^   ""^^^   '""•«  known  to 
the^  by  thejiamo  of  'IBarrenV  and  on^  this  oe^ 


. ' -^^^     jjai  I  ousj     ana  on  tais  qq-- 

^sion  Ihey  made  use  of  it  to  take  a  long  rest.   The  ' 
doctor  again  looked  all  around  hii^t^oughtfuUy 
and  appeared  buried  in  profound  r  J^ion 


.■■I 


192 


THE  BOYS  OF  GRAND  PB6  SCHOOL. 


It  was  here  that  a  thought  flashed  to  the  minds 
of  all  the  boys. 
It  was  this. 

The  doctor  hadn't  the  least  idea  where- he  was  I 
The  moment  that  thought  apose,  every  act  of  the 
doctor's  confirmed  it.     His  silence  was  a  very  re- 
markable thing.    Usually  he  was  genial  and  lively  • 
and  such  was  his  flow  of  spirits,  that  he  could 
always  throw  an  air  of  joyousness  around  an  oc 
^    casion  like  this.     Usually  he  was  full  of  pleasant 
and  encouraging  words.    He  had,  by  nature,  a  rare 
aptitude  for  winning  the  affection  and  confidence 
of  boys  by  throwing  himself  into  their  feelings. 
•With  all  his  attainments,  he  had  in  him  much  of 
that  fresh,  brave,  frank,  joyous,  hilarious  temper 
which  we  call  "  boyish ;  "  and  his  own  free  and 
frank  nature,  his  generous  enthusiasm,  his  disdain 
for  all  that  was  base,  his  exultation  in  aU  that  was 
noble  and  pure,  all  combined  to  win  the  reverential 
affection  of  "  his  boys,"  as  he  called  them. 

But  now  he  had  been  silent  for  hours.  During 
all  that  weary  march  he  had  spoken  no  word  of  ep- 
couragement.  His  pleasant,  cheery  voice,  which 
might  have  lightened  half  their  toil,  had  not  been 
h^ard.  His  face  was  anxious,  his  gaze  abstracted. 
What  m  the  world  could  be  the  cause  of  this? 
•This  was  the  question  that  came  to  aU  ;  and  aU  felt 
^t  one  thing,  and  one  thing  only,  could  in  any 
j*way  account  for  this. 


The  doctor  had  lost  his  way  I 


.^mamuugmuitM 


A  MLEMKA. 


193 


Such  was  the  general  conclusion.         " 

dirt  l':':ZT  "lif"^  '    ^?™  »^*-  -"Id 

to  their  ;sXpo.1^„r™Thr''"  """'^^'^  "^ 
ble.     There  «*..„„        "■.    '^''^  ^^  ™3  not  visi- 

been  a  guide;  but  t^lti  LI" ^t" out  f"^ 
their  view  by  a  dense  vb,?  „f  •  "'  *^°'" 

The  doctor  remained  fn  °^  ^''"''"""^"S  '""e- 
own  thoughts  auTth    /     ^'™8  '""«  '™t  in  his 
the  overS   ^s     1T  "[Tr^  P--ous  to 
With  one  another  r;„    f  ^  ^"''''  '"  '"'^  tones 

could  throw  a';  ,ight°oI  r  '  "'"''  '^  """"^ 
had  a  different'opfLn^' '""''?"•  ^^^'•^""o 
any  reliable  wa/rf  fi"di„f  "7"f  ''^«°  ^"gg««t 

to  know.  But'^at  any  Z  th  t  '""^  ^'^'^^'' 
precious  to  them  aU  T^  \  ""*  "^  '^'^  ''^ 
doctor  called  to  t"em  to  ..    7^""  "'  '''"S"'  '•■« 

W^himwith^^wrortlSr'"^^^"'- 

chantdriZwirwh^'';:^--'" -^ 

entered  the  woods  agaTlnd  ot       '^'"-    '^"^ 
tared  the  old  etrugglfl '  ;°^,  """"'  "°™"»- 

and  underbrush  and  L T i       ''^^P''  *"<*  ''o™8, 
The  journey  this  tte^f''  IT'  "■"■  *■*»  '^^^^ 
The   boys  C^t^f  n'-   "'^  """'  ''«''°-- 
keenly.    They'TJhange    wo'ds  Tf'^r "".  """" 

ti^r::^h^o:^^^S^^^^ 

»W  thau^it  ^'roJ^7.^ZXZ''Z^. 


lOi 


THE  BOYS  OP  GRAND  PBt   SCSOOL. 


hmsolf  began  to  feel  the  effects  of  such  unusual 

war/Th     T'^'^'^  ^''^^«™-     ^0  '-"J  «>r  fo^ 
It  tils        ""' ''""°  ^'°"'^''  '"■''  ^'"PP^-i  '0  -St 

thaTalUr'r  'Vr^^f"^  tl-^  boys  was  the  fact 
that  al  th,s  fme  they  had  to  carry  the  shovels  and 
other  things  There  were  four  of  these,  viz  two 
^pades,  one  hamme;,  and  one  basket.  The  e  te 
boys  earned  by  turns  ,  but  the  trouble  of  cl  y  J 
them  under  such  circumstances  was  intolerable 
Somefmep  they  proposed  to  one  another  to  d  op 

^riln  /,'"  P-PO-'--  not  carried  out.  Th^ 
Bt.ll  bore  them  on,  and  exchanged  their  burden, 
•nore  rapidly  as  they  grew  more  weary.  ' 

At  last  the  woods  grew  thinner,  the  ground 
dryer,  and   the  trees  smaller.     The  walking  was 
much  easier.     The  necessity  of  such  ven-  vllln 
exertion  was  taken  off. 

This  ground  formed  a  gentle  declivity,  where  the 
woods  in  front,  though  much  thinnerVn  tl  e 
behind,  st,n  shut  out  the  view.  Gradually  these  ' 
woods  grew  less  and  less  dense,  until  at  last  im- 
mediately  m  front  they  could  look  through  and 
see  beyond  the  signs  «f  some  opening 

.^i"f  "  w.*""  ^"""^  ■'^SaD  to  descend  more  ' 
8t«eply.    Where  they  were  going  none  could  tell 
Some  thought  that  they  were  approaching  a  clea": 

and  Z  '^^"7.^'^P  ":»'1«  tt'«  opening  in  front  more 
and  mere  plain.    Thfough  the  trees  there  ^va»  — 
nothing  visiblS,  indeed,  tt  the  gty,  fi^gyl     ~ 


1 

T 

a 


Pi 

of 
be 
th 


'~'.'"'*ti"^.-*i '"' 


at- 


LOST-  '^95 

approaching  a   settlement,   and    rejoiced    in   Z 

to  emerge  fortl.«„„  the  woods  into  some  reen     ' 
meadow    or   pleasant    pasture      WhJ       "^ 

vaneed  faster  and  the  bo.^  l  th  ,>  t^et 

nrst  among  the  hurrying  throng. 

ly  a"ndTfrtt^?."'"'  "'""''""'"^  ^«"  '"°™  «'-!>- 
widely ,  but  one  or  two  trees  yet  intervened  vJ 
ward  rushed  Bart  and  Bruce  Aft„.  ,r  ^'  ■  , 
all  the  others.  -ifter  them  hurried 

Bpt  what  was  this  ? 
p^f^fC  ^"  ^"""'«'''  -"  «P-S  back  a 

fat  the  skirt  of  the  ^sfls'Ve  Vgt'or!    ^ 


CI 


, 


196 


THE  BOYS  OP  GBAND  PBE  SCHOOL. 


tremendous  precipice,  which  went   sheer   down 
below  them,  to  a  place  where  the  wild  sea  waves 
hidden  from  them  by  the  mist,  sent  up  a  long,  low' 
distant,  booming  sound,  as  they  broke  in  thunder 
on  the  shore.  ? .  :   ,, 


y^^'it 


V 


\A  QUANDABY. 


197 


XIV. 

Woods,  Precipices,  Mists,  and  Ocean  Waves.  —  The 
Party  divided,  and  each  Half  departs  to  seek  its 
separate  Fortune.  ^  Pai  shows  how  to  go  in  a 
straight  Line.— Pat  and  the  Porcupine. ~ In 
Chase  after  Pat.  ~  Disappearance  of  Pat.  —  A 
hst  Pat.—  Wanderings  in  Search  of  the  Lost. 

'HEY  stood  for  a  while  confounded. 

Before  them  nothing  could  b6  seen  but 

the  impenetrable  fog.    The  water  beneath 

was  not  visible,  but  the  surf  sent  up  its  boom,  and 

they  knew  that  thej  were  somewh^gre  on  the  shore 

of  the  Bay  of  Fundy. 

But  where  ? 

"  This  is  certainly  a  most  extraordinary  thing  I " 
cried  the  doctor,  at  last.  -^ 

The  others  said  nothing,  but  by  their  silence  as. 
sented  to  the  truth  of  this  undeniable  statement. 

One  thing  is  evident."  said  the  doctor  again, 
'  and  that  is,  that  this  is  not  the  old  French  fort    In 
^ct^l  begin  to  doubt  whether  there  19  any  old- 
French  fort  here  at  aU.    They  surely  would  never 
have  been  mad  enough  to  build  an^kind  of  a  fort 
in  these  abominable  woods."  ^P  "* 


h'^ 


198 


THE  BOYS  OP  GRAND  PR6  SCHOOL. 


To  tliis,  again,  the  boys  made  no  reply.  The  as- 
sertion seemed  so  self-evident  that  it  appeared  like 
the  utterance  of  actual  fact...  ' 

"  It  is  a  convfction,"  resumed  the  doctor,  "  that 
has  been  growing  stronger  and  stronger  ever  since 
wo  left  the  '  Barrens,'  and  I  now  accept  it  without 
reserve.  But  at  the  same  time,  boys,  I  confess 
that  I  haven't'^he  smallest  idea  where  we  are." 

"  We  must  be  somewhere  on  the  doast  between 
Scott's  Bapr  and  Hall's  Harbor,"  said  Bruce. 

"  Perfectly  true,"  said  the  doctor ;  "  but  where 
on  that  coast?  As  some  ten  or  fifteen  miles  lie 
between  those  two  places,  we  have  an  almost  un- 
limited latitude  for  conjecture." 

Nothing  was  said  for  some  time.  All  looked 
along  the  coast  line  in  both  directions,  to  see  if  any- 
thing were  visiblfe.  Nothii?^,  however,  could  be 
seen.     The  dense  fojg  concea^d  everything  from 


view. 


"Well,"  said  the  doctor,  "we  shall  have  to  do 
something;  that's  evident.  No^,'3n9u're  all  very 
tired,  and  so  am  I.  Let  us  si't  here  and  rest,  and 
debate  which  way  we  had  better  turn." 

They  all  sat  down  on  the  slope,  and,  looking  at 
their  watches,  they  fpund  that  it  was  half  past  two 
o'clock.  .     . 

"  We  haven't  much  time  to  lose ;  that's  plain," 
said  the  doctor,  as  he  looked  at'  hif  ^atch.    "  Let 


il3  try,  firgt  of  all,  to  find  out  where  we  are.    In 
the  first  placQ,  I  think,  all  things  considered,  j)iat 


"  that 
since 
ithout   \ 
onfess 


THE  DOCTOR   HAS  AN   OPINION. 


; 


199 


we  came  in  a  pretty  straiglit  lino.  I  tried  to  ^uide 
myself  by  the  tree-tops  as  I  went,  and  I  think  our 
course  was  as  straight  as  possible."  .    . 

The  boys  all  tliought  so^  too. 
.  "  Yes,"  said  the  doctor,  "  Vm  quite  positive  about 
that.  It  was  in  my  mind  all  the  time  to  keep  a  per- 
fectly straiglit  course.  If  it  hadn't  been  for*that, 
our  way  would  have  iBeen"  easier.  But  I  had  de- 
cided on  the  position  of  the  old  French  fort,  and 
had  marked  it  oi  my  map.  So,  on  starting  I  took 
my  bearings,  and  kept  on  by  the  trees,  keeping  as 
straight  a  course  as  possible.  You  observed  hpw 
attentive  I  was  to  that.  That  was' the  reason  why 
I  had  so  few  words  of  encouragement  Jbr  my  pa- 
tient young  friends  who  were  toiling  after  me,  and"" 
for  whom  I  felt  exceedingly  sorry  all  the  time." 

"O,  doctor,"  said  Bart,  "we're  all  right, we 

only  hope  that  you  will  stand  it." 

"  Well,  let  us  keep  up  our  spirits,"  said  the  doc-' 
tor, ^cheerily,  "and  we'll  come  out  all  right  yet^ 
So,  you  sfie,  we  may  consider  that  our/jourse  has 
been  a  fair  one.     And  now  I  will  make  a  rough 
map  of  our  position." 

■  ^Saying  this,  the  doctor  took  his  memorandum- 
book- and  drew  his  "rough  map."  He  marked  a 
rough  outline  for  the  coast  .between  Scott's  Bay 
and  Hall's  Harbor.  Then  he  drew  the  roads  which 
fJ^B  -ft^°^  ^^^^  ^^  these  places  across  the  Norl 


Mountain  to  Coruwallis ;  and  finally  he  traced  a 
straight  line  from  the  place  where  they  had  started, 


<^ 


$Q|  THE  BOYS  OP  GRAND   P«^-  SCHOOL. 


A 


in  the  direction  which  h<3  supposed  that  they  had 
gone:  ^The  result  was,  that  he  made  their  present 
position  close  hy  Hall's  Harbor.  After  finishing 
this,  he  handed  it  to  the  bx)ys,  vvho  inspected  it 
very  closely.  ' 

"Well,"  said  the  doctor,  "what  do  you  th^ 
of  it?" 

They  were  silent  for  some  time.  At  length 
Bruce  spoke.  ' 

"The  pnly  thing  against  it,  sir,"  said  ho,  "is, 
that  our  c6urse  may  not  h&,ve  been  so  perfectly 
straight." 

"But  then,"  said  the  doctor.  M  took  particular 
Care,  and-  always  kept  several  %ee3  in  Jine  before 
me,  so  as  to  go  straight." 

"  Still,  sir,"  said  Bruce,  "  tra^velling  in  the  woods 
is  a  very  peculiar  thing.  I've  done  it  often.  I've 
lived  for  weeks  in  the  woods,  camping  out;  and  it's 
always  been  my  experience  that  a  man  can?t  go 
stisaj^ht,  unless  he  has  a  copapass,  or  at  least  some 
general  landmiarks.  An  Indian  might,  perhaps 
but  I'm  sure  I  couldn't.'^  . 

The  doctor  seemed  quite  impressed  by  this. 
*   "Well,  Bi'uce,"  said  he,  "  I  know  you  have 
far  njiore  experience  in  the  woods  than  I  can  pre- 
tend.^^a^nd  I  should  like  very  much  to  get-  your 
opinib^Byft^t  reserve." 

"  Yot^^^^mEi^^aid  Bruce,  "  everybodjy"  has  a 
tenden^lM^HPWoodsjbJip.  lean-  to  the  right.     I^ 


the  samj^ 


eard,  on  the  western  prairies.    L 


A 


BRUCE  HAS  AN  OPINION. 


201 


A 


r^ipiti^  to  know  tlio  cause  of  it.  I  only, 
#"-.(^.hift  makes  one  go  in  a  kind  of  curved 
a'Pff^onfe  i^i^anders  long  enough  he'll  per- 
r^r  -^^rt  of  circle.  I  know  once,  in  C^po  Breton, 
^  [ctually  dame  back  to  the"  place  iWrted  from, 
ind  air  the  time  I  thnu|^ht  \wtis  miles  away.  I 
took  great  pains,  too,  toSi^fe  atraigiit ;  .and  it  was  a 
better  country  than  this.  Nj^  we Ve  been  work- 
ing our  way  through  all  kinds  ^  places.  We've 
been  in  thick  underbrush,  wherd,  for  my  part,  I 
don't  see-ihow  it  was  possible  tj  keep  a  straight 
course.  We've  had  to  go  round  rocks'and  fallen 
trees;  After  breaking  a  straighticoiirse  by  making 
silch  a  circuit,  however  small,  it  seems  t/ime  almost 
impossible  to  tflke  it  up  again.  A  slight  mistake 
at  the  outset  makes  a  great  differenceT' by  the  time 
you  get  to  the  journey's  eft^" 

"Well,"  said  the  doctor,  "where  do  you  think 
we  may  be  ?    Point  out  on  the  map  the  place." 

"  1  can't  do  that,"  said  Bruce,  "  of  course.    I  can 
only  say  that  I  think  we've  been,  as  usual,  swerv- 
mg  |p.i|he  right ;  and  if  so,  we  are  now  really  much 
earer  to  Scott's  Bay  than  we  are  to  Hall's  Har- 
bor." -^ 

The  doctor  now  sat  thinking  for  some  time. 

<*  There's  a  great  deal  in-^hat  you  say,  Bruce," 
said  he,  at  length, "  and  I'm  very  glad  you've  given 
your  opinion.  At  the  same  time!  feel  quite  confi- 
4ent  that,  if  I  liaYesworvcd4Q^fe#^gbt,ifr  cannot 


have  been  to  any  great  extent    The  care  which 


hii«"''P""'"'*'"9^ 


202     THE  B0Y3  OF  GRAND  PRE  SCHOOL. 

I  took  was  SO  extreme,  that  my  calculations  cannot 
be  much  out  of  the  way.  I  dare  say  I  may  have 
lost  my  course  a  little  while  going  through-  iU 
thick  underbrush,  but  I'm  convinced  that  I  found 
it  again  pretty  correctly.  Now  I  will  mark  out  a 
new  track  on  the  map,  and  make  allowance  for  any 
deviation  from  a  true  course." 

Saying  this,  the  doctor  traced  a  new  hne,  which 
curved  slightly  to  the  right,  and  made  their  pres- 
ent  position  ;Somewhat  farther  away  from  Hall's 
Harbor  than  the  former  conjecture  had  made  it. 
Still  this  new  estimate  made  them  much  nearer  to 
,  Hall's  Harbor  than  to  Scott's  Bay. 

He  showed  this  to  Bruca,and  asked  him  what 

'  he  thought  of  it.  .1    .  -f 

"  Well,  sir,"  said  Bruce,  "  I  will  only  say  that  it 


had  headed   the    pal-ty,   with    all   my 


care. 


should  be  very  much  farther  to  the  right  than 

you  make  it." 

'•'  So  you  think  that  we  are  now  nearer  to  fecott  a 

Bay  than  to  Hall's  Harbor?  "  ^ 

"Very  much  nearer,  sir,"  said  Bruce. 
The  doctor  said  no  more,  but  sat  for  a  long  tune 

silently  regarding  his  map. 

«  Well,"  said  he,  at  last,  "  it  seems  to  me  to  be  a 
^  fair  question.    You,  Bruce,  have  had  very  much 

experience  in  the  woods ;  but  then  I  rely  on  my 
^  correctness.    On_the^  whole,  I^think  U  wouW 

be  better  for  us  now  to  divide  ourselves  into  two 

parties.     One  party  could  go  in  the  direction  of 


■ 


'«v 


•  js: 


THE  PARTY  DIVIDES. 


203 


Hall's  Harder,  the  other  towards  Scott's  Bay.  As 
you  are  an  old  hand  in  the  woods,  Bruce,  I  con- 
sider you  quite  fit  to  head  one  party,  and  try  Scott's 
Bay.  For  my  part,  I  will  take  another  party,  and 
make  for  Hall's  Harbor.  What  do  you  say  to 
that?" 

"  0,  no,  sir,"  said  Bruce ;  "  we  won't  leave  you. 
We'll  stay  with  you,  and  follow  you  wherever 
you  go." 

The  doctor  laughed. 

"  0,  nonsense  I "  said  he.  "  If  we  were  wander- 
ing in  the  JPorests  of  the  Amazon  valley,  we  might 
then  make  it  a  niatter  of  duty  to  stand  by  one 
another ;  but  these  woods  are  only  a  small  affair. 
By  going  in  any  direction,  we  must  emerge  from 
them  before  very  long.  Even  if  we  were  overtaken 
by  the  darkness,  it  would  be  no  great  hardship  to 
pass  the  night  here.  We  could  make  comfortable 
beds  out  of  spruce  boughs  and  fern.  To  tell  the 
truth,  roughing  it  in  the  bush  has  rather  an  attrac- 
tion for  me  than  otherwise  ;  and  I  know  your  weak- 
ness, boys,  in  that  respect.  Besides,  in  two  hours, 
at  the  very  farthest,  we're  sure  to  come  oflt  some- 
where. If  I  thought  that  there  was  any  danger, 
I  would  not  thiek  of  separating  you,  but  would 
guard  you  aSj  carefully  as  possible.  The  most 
that  can  happen  is  some  little  inconvenience.  So, 
Bruce,  you  may  consider  yourself  the  commander 
of  the  Scott's  Bay  partyT  Who  willlbe  your  fol- 
lowers?" 


'  1 


=se 


-ae^i 


> 


204 


THE  BOYS  OP  GRAND  Pr6  SCHOOL. 


"  I,"  said  Bart,  whoso  lesitation  had  been  driven 
away  by  the  doctor's  words. 

"  I,"  said  Arthur. 

"  And  I,"  said  Tom.       ^  '    ' 

"  And  I,"  said  Phil. 

«  Bedad,  thin,  an  it's  mesilf  that'll  jiDe  that  same," 
said  Pat,  who  preferred  the  comparative  freedom 
that  he  would  enjoy  under  Bruce  to  the  restraint 
which  he  felt  with  the  doctor.  For  the  doctor,  who, 
with  the  other  boys,  was  a  great  favbrite,  and  had 
won  aU  their  hearts  by  that  boyish  enthusiasm 
which  age  could  never  extinguish  in  him,  and  by 
his  evident  fellow-feeling  and  sympathy  with  them 
m  all  their  joys  and  sorrows,  was  not  so  well  known 
to  Pat,  and,  in  spite  of  his  kindness  to  the  poor 
Irish  boy,  still  remained  an  object  of  grateful  affec- 
tioti  certainly,  but  yet  one  of  extreme  awe.  So 
Pat  elected  to  go  with  Bruce. 

The  other  boys  preferred  taking  their  chance 
with  the  doctor.  These  were  Jiggins,  Bogud, 
Sammy,  Johnny,  and  BiUymack.  Thus  the  party 
was  about  equally  divided,  — five  going  under  the 
command  of  Bruce,  and  five  under  the  command 
of  the  doctor.  By  the  time  these  arrangements 
were  completed  it  was  thfee  o'clock.  They  all 
felt  refreshed  by  their  rest,  and  inspirited  also  by 
the  prospect  of  getting  onward  out  of  the  woods 
Jg^^^Q'PQ  road^jor  some  settlements 


"If  I  reach  Hall's  Harbor,"  said  the  doctor,  « I 
wiU  get  horses,  and  drive  at  once  to  where  we  left 


ofl 
hii 

•',  ^he 
V -A^  *lin 


■• 


NEW  DEPARTURES. 


205 


%-■>:,  4 


/ 


our  wagons.     If  you  get  to  the  Scott's  Bay  road, 
go  back  to  that  place  and  wait  for  me." 

With  these  words  the  doctor  and  his  party  set 

off  in  one  direction,  while  Bruce  started  away  with 

his  followers  in  another.    As  the  trees  were  farther 

t^part  near  the  edge  of  the  cliff,  he  walked  along 

.here  for  some  time;  but  at  last  finding  that  the 

"Mine  was  irregular,  and  coming  to  a  place  where  it 

ran  out  into  a  kind  of  promontory,  he  kept  on,  seek- 

ing  only  to  find  the  easiest  place  for  walking.     For 

a  long  time  he  tried  to  keep  in  a  line  with  what  he 

supposed  to  be  the  direction  of  the  coast ;  but  at 

length  he  found  himself  away  from  it  altogether. 

He  then  turned,  determined  to  regain  it,  but  found 

the  way  so  difficult  that  he  gave  it  up. 

"  The  fact  is,  boys,"  said  he,  "  our  only  chance 
was  to  keep  stolidly  along  the  edge  of  the  cliff, 
and  follow  all  its  windings.  We've  lost  it  now! 
There  are  two  things  fof  us  to  do  — either  to  get 
back  to  the  cliff  again  at  all  hazards,  or  to  keep  on 
through  the  woods  as  we  are  going  now.  One  is 
the  safer  way,  but  the  other  is  easier." 

"  0,  bother  the  cliff,"  said  Bart ;  "  we're  doing 
very  well.  I  don't  care,  for  my  part,  whether  We're 
lost  or  not.  I'd  just  as  soon  camp  out.  The  only 
trouble  is,  we  haven't  anything  to  eat.  We've  eaten 
all  our  sandwiches.  And  then  these  miserable 
spades.  I  doat^see  why  they  couldn^  liave^takei 
them.  But  no  — Jiggins  and  Bogud  insisted  on 
taking  the  hammer  and  the  basket,  and  they  call 
that  a  fair  division  I ." 


h 


mm 


206 


THE  BOYS  OF  GRAND  PB6  SCHOOL. 


"  I'm  of  Bart's  opinion,"  said  Arthur.  "  I  say, 
let's  go  where  it  is  easiest,  and  trust  to  luck. 
And  let's  all  take  care  of  our  right  legs,  and  not 
let  them  drag  us  into  a  circle." 

"  No,  that  won't  do,"  said  Bruce  ;  "  if  you  try  to 
guard  against  turning  to  the  right,  you'll  be  sure 
to  turn  too  much  to  the  left.  It's  impossible  to  go 
straight  unless  you're  an  Indian.  Best  to  walk  as 
straight  as  you  can,  and  occasionally  change  your  . 
course  so  as  to  correct  any  deviation." 

"  Why  not  walk  zigzag  ?  "  said  Phil. 

"  Or  backwards  ?  "  said  Tom. 
'^  "I'll  tell  you,"  said  Pat,  "what  we'd  ort  till  do. 
Let's  howld  a  sthraight  powl  before  ourselves,  an 
follow  it.     That'll  be  sure  till  take  us  sthraight." 

A  roar  of  laughter  greeted  this  proposal. 

"  Very  well,  Pat ;  get  your  pole  and  try  it,"  said 
Bart. 

"  'Deed  an  I  jist  will,"  said  Pat ;  and  seeing  a 
young,  slender  maple  near  by,  he  cut  it  down  with 
his  knife,  lopped  off  the  young  twigs,  and  thus 
formed  a  long,  slendep,  straight  pole.  Taking  this 
in  his  hand,  he  gravely  put  himself  at  the  head  of 
the  party.  Then  he  held  out  the  pole.  "  There,"  ■ 
said  he  ;  "  isn't  this  powl  sthraight  ?  " 

"  Of  course  it  is,"  said  they. 

"  Then  sure,  an  if  we  go  by  it,  we  must  go 
sthraight,  too,"  said  Pat.  And  saying  this,  he  started 
off,  holding  the  pole  belbre  Em. 

The  boys  followed  in  great  glee,  almost  bursting 


,,/ 


7' 


\ 


patNand  the  pole. 
Vat  led  them  c 


207 


/ 


■7 


with  laughter,  while 

with  an  expression  of  ineffable  satisfaction,  holding 

the  pole  straight  before  him/ 

So  they  went  on,  and  BrucR,  out  of  pure  enjoy- 
ment of  the  thing,  let  Pat  lead  wherever  he  wished. 

At  last  Pat  gave  a  wild  yell,  leaped  forward,  and 
slashed  violently  with  his  pole  at  something. 

The  boys  crowded  up. 

Tk^ something  at  which  Pat  had  struck  had  got 
tinder  some  fern  leaves,  and  was  not  visible.  But 
Pat  slashed  away  bravely  in  all  directions.  Sud- 
denly there  can^  running  out  a  queer  little  animal, 
all  covered  with  sharp  ^pines.  It  did  not  run  very 
fast,  and  Bajrt,  who  carried  a  spade,  could  easily 
have  kille4  it.  But  he  did  not.  He  stood  still, 
and  let  it/tun  close  by  him.  Pat  had  lost  sight  of 
it  for  a/momen^t,  and  was  looking  in  all  direc- 
tions f0r  it,  when  suddenly  he  caught  sight  of 
it.  With  a  wild  yell  he  rushed  after  it,  swing- 
ing/his pole  and  slashing  it  madly  against  the 
gr^bund.  The  little  animal  dodged  under  some 
blueberry  bushes ;  and  while  Pat  was  slashing  at 
/these,  it  escaped  and  ran  into  a  hollow  tree  which 
/.  lay  on  the  ground.  Into  this  Pat  poked  his  pole ; 
but  as  he  poked  it  in  at  one  end,  the  little  animal 
ran  out  from  the  other,  and  hurried  away  as  fast  as 
his  little  legs  would  carry  him. 

Again  Pat  caught  sight  of  him,  and  gave  chase, 
^eanwhil©  the  other  boys  had  not  interfered. 


They  left  it  all  to  Pat.    They  also  felt  a  sort  of 


1 


)*«• 


■hMMMteia 


^if' 


-¥5 


208 


THE  BOYS  OP  GRAND  iJr6  SCHOOL. 


ins-  bath!  w  ''"'"'PP^'"''^  J''^'  then  to  be  carr>. 
.'"S,  out  fie  would  not:  so  the  little  *i  •  ^ 

and  Pat  followed  aftfir  if  .  ^'"'"e  ''""'«■. 

■  -so  as  tokeep  h^l  ItZ^Z'  "^''''"  ^^'' 
lost  him  altlether  Thl  ''"V''f°'-«  '»■>&  they 
lastplaee  where  thev  hTh  ^  ""'?'  ^°™^'^  *°  t^* 

There  was  no  answer,  however. 

tilt  trrXnrr''  rr "  '°^^ 

■     about  him     WhJ»T!;u  ^^^*°''«*''^'o«8 
thatlittki^'d  ^^f°-'   ftewSs  chasing 

chase  had  forgotL  everytu:  "  if"^"*  "^  *« 
late,  and  there  w»<,  „    *  -^       ^"      '  "'^^  Setting 

th4  T^Hu^: :  :r:/itrf  -^^ 

kin?oTwrtd  tat°^'  t"""^  '>  -^-^  possible 
there  wouTd  t^Z'^^:  l^^"-  ^  -  if 

anKetand^  ^1^^:^  ^J^-/ 


LOST  AGAIN. 


209 


t^^y^  *hej  gave  up. 
howw    J/-^^^^^  «-d   Bart;   "and 

ihey  went  on. 

the.  had  kept  up,  SS  t  mI^  ^tfhr'" 
been  altogether  lost  m.  """"'"'g  i^at,  had  now- 
animal  had  been  a  ;»  '"  '''*^''  ""«  «'«» 

had  .,feced^•n"s:vLl"^l4rt  t-rr"'  ^-^^ 

pursnine  him     Th.      "'"f «"'  diiections  while 

They  could  not  find  tW^  "  *''*'''  <">""«• 

place  where  RLth.d  f       '"'^  """"  «'«"  *»  the 

frenzy     The  t^    *^''°  '"""^  ""'*  ''*'  =*'»°g« 
le8sl7iost  '^•f^y'^e-  utterly  and  hopl 

Colwi-;**™:  ''-'"»'-%  straight  for. 

14    '  i-^.  ; 


I' 


'ifi  II  i.impii.iii,iiw!i)iiji4 


59S5 


r 


210 


THE  BOYS   OP  GRAND  PR6  SCHOOL. 


"  Not  a  bit  of  it,"  said  Tom.,.  "  We're  going  to 
Scott's  Bay." 

"  It's  my  opjnion,"  said  Bart,  "  that  w^'re  on  our 
way  to  the  cliff;  and  as  its  getting  dark,  we'd  better 
be  careful.  Bruce,  if  you  ^et  to  the  cliff  first,  and 
fall  over  in  the  dark,  just  let  us  know  before  you 
go  down.  I  wouldn't  caife"  so  much  in  fine,  bright 
weather,  but  I  have  a  prejudice  against  tumbling 
over  cliffs  on  a  foggy  night."      1 

"  You  needn't  trouble  yourself,"  said "  Bruce. 
"  We'll  never  come  near  a  cliff,  or  anything  else. 
I  know  all  abput  it.  We're  wandering  in  a  circle. 
We'll  camp  in  the  woods  to-night,  and  to-morro-yv 
night,  after  wandering  all  day,  we'll  get  back  to  the 
same  place.  I  move,  therefore,  that  we  stop  now 
in  this  place,'  and  build  a  good,  solid  camp,  that 
will  serve  for  a  shelter-  every  night  after  our  cir- ' 
cular  wanderings." 

"  Well,"  said  Bart,  "  we  won't  begin  just  yet.    I 
want  to  get  to  the  cliff." 

"  I  want  to  get  to  Scott's  Bay,"  said  Tom. 

"  I'm  determined,"  said  Phil,  "  to  get  to  Corn- 
wallis." 

"Pooh I"  said  Arthur.  "Every  one  of  us  will 
sleep  to-night  in  Hall's  Harbor.  Come  along^ 
boys," 


,. 


: 


■<t<«i.^«i.-i.«j>ait. 


-f 


POOR  PROSPECTS. 


211 


,. 


XV. 

M  lost. —  The  gathering  Gloom  of  Fog  and  of 
Niyht.—SuddenDiscovery.—Thehst  Onefound, 
—A  Turkey  with  four  Legs.  —  A  cheerful  Discus- 
sion.—Five  Eoufs  of  Wandering.—  When  wiU 
it  end  ?  —  Once  more  upon  the  Tramp. 

'HEY  went  on. 

The  shades  of  evening  were  now  coming 
down  rapidly,  and  these  were  all  intensified 
by  the  dense  fog  that  hung  around  them.  The 
Woods  grew  more  and  more  obscure,  and  the  gloom 
that  prevailed  here  was  added  to  that  of  the  twi- 
light  and  the  fog.  It  was  evident  that  they  could 
not  go  on  much  longer. 

Fortunately,  it  was  not  so  diffidult  now  as  it  had 
been  previous^.  The  trees  stood  farther  apart 
than  usual.  There  was  but  little  underbrush.  The 
ground  was  covered  with  moss,  but  it  was  quite 
dry.  ^This  was  encouraging,  for  if  they  tried  to 
pass  the  night  in  the  woods,  they  could  not  find  a 
better  place  than  the  on.e  which_they  were  travers- 
ing, l^ey  would  probably  have  given  up,  and  de-~^ 
cided  upon  making  preparations  for  the  night,  had 
it  not  been  for  their  desire  to  find  Pat.    If  he  ha3 


A 


212 


THE  BOTS  OF  GRAND-  Pr6  SCHOOL 


TV. 


•^'.'.rt^ 


been  with  them,  their  journey  for  that  night  would 
imve  ended.  But  they  did  not  like  to  think  cjf  him 
alone,  eevered  from  them,  and  wandering  in  the 
woods.  So  they  kept  on  their  way ;  and  still,  as-  -^ 
they  went  along,  they  shouted  occasionally,  with  -" 
some  vague  hope  that  their  cry  might  come  t(y  the 
ears  of  the  wanderer. 

It  grew  darker  and  darker.      • 

At  last  they  began  to  think  of  halting  for  the 
night.  Pat  was  given  up.  ,  They  comforted  them- 
selves with  the  thought  that  he  was  bkpy,  and 


^ 


fearless,  and  self-reliant ;  that  the^iights  w^e  mild ; 
and  that  spruce  boughs  abounded,*  together  with 
lerns  and  mos^  on  which  bi^e  might  sleep  peace- 
ful^y  and  pleasantly.  So,  as  it  grew  darker,  they 
talked  of  stopping,  and  making  their  preparations 
tor  the  night  befdl-e  it  grew  too  dark. 

Siiddenly,  as  they  were  talking  over  these  things 
they  kaw  before  them  through  the  trees,  yet  not 
more  than  a  dozen  paces  distant,  a  very  familiar 
fonn.  It  was  a  "snake  fenced' -that  is  to  say,  a 
fence  fo^ed  of  poles,  built  in  such  a  way  that  it 
runs  m  aWig:^g  direction.  At  once  the  thought 
flashed  upWhem  that  they  were  near  some  farm- 
house,  perhaps  some  settlement;  and  then  arose 
the  hop&of  k  better  night's  rest  than  could  be  af- 
forded by  thWoods  with  their  damp  and  foggy 
toosphere.    With  a  cry  of  joy  they  rushed  for- 


lent 


rise. 


my  reached  it.    They  looked  over.    In  a 

succeeded  by  one  of 


^ 


/i 


THEY  FIND  A   ROAD. 


213 


r 


•.«\ 


It  was  a  road  which  lay -before  them. 

Yes,  a  jt)ad,  wide  and  well  travelled, —  not  a 
private  path  to  some  small  cottage,  not  an  ox-path 
through  dense  woods,  but  a  regular  road  fit  for 
carriages,  and  evidently  leading  to  some  settle- 
ment.       ^  V    ' 

But  what  settlement? 

In  a  moment  they  had  clambered  over  the  fence 
and4tood  in,  the  road  with  one  common  determina^ 
tion  m  all  of  them  not  to  leave  it  again  for  any 
woods  whatsoever. 

Yet  what  road- was  this  ?  and  where  did  it'go  ? 
This  was  the  question. 

And  fhis  question  it  was  not  possible  to  answer. 
Had  they  continued  on  uninterruptedly,  Bruce 
would  have  been  convinced  that  it  was  the  Scott's 
Bay  road.'    But  their  digression  after  Pat  had  led 
them  such  a  journey,  that  he  was  not  by  any  means 
sure ;  nor  were  any  of  the  others.     All  felt  that 
they  had  been  wandering  blindly,  that  after  leaving 
the  cliff  they  had  no  certainty  as  to  their  destin^ 
tion.    This  uncertainty  had  been  increased  by  Pat's 
leadership  with  the  pole,  and  had  been  turned  into 
utter  and  hopeless  perplexity  by  their  last  pursuit 
of  hiiti.    They  had  been  wandering  now,  since  they 
parted  with  Dr.  Porter,  for  more  than  four  hours.  . 
Ihat  gave  time  enough  for  them  to  get  anywhere. 

It  might  be  the  road  to  Hall's  Harbor  in  which^ 
they  now  found  themselves.        X 

In  this  state  of  uncertainty  they  remained  for 
some  time. 


■:'•?-■  ■ 


214 


THE  BOYS  OP  QBAm)   PBi;  SCHOOL. 

-  V  ^ 


■     Well,  boys,"  said  Bruce,  at  last,  "it's  im'possi^ 
ble  to  toll  where  wfe  are ;  but,  in  my  opinion,  we'd 
better  take  it  for  granted  that  this' is  the  Scott's 
•^Bay  road.     It's  more  likely,  after  all,  to  be  that 
than  the  Hall's  Harbor  road.     If  it  is,  we  have  to 
find  our  way  back  to  where  the  wagons  are,  accord- 
mg  to  the  doctor's  directions,  and  wait  there  for 
hira.    Now,  if  this  is  the  Scott's  Bay  road,  we  must 
turn  to  the  right,  in  order  to  go  back,  for  on  tho 
left  It  goes  to  Scott's  Bay..    So,  I  say,  let's  turn 
up  the  road  to  the  right,  and  walk  back  to  the 
wagons."  '     ^ 

Bruce's  opinion  was  accepted  byShe  others,  and 
his  decision  at  once  adopted.  They  all  turned  up 
tha  road  to  the  right,  and  walked  onward,  not 
knowing  how  far  -they  would  have  to  walk,  yet 
feeling  greatly  inspirited  by  the  mere  fact  that  they 
were  out  of  the  woods. 

As  they  went  oil,  it  grew  darker  and  darker  at 
every  step.  The  sun  had  gone  down,  the  shadows 
of  night  were  descending,  add  these  shadows  were 
all  deepened  by  the  universal  fog  which  covered 
all  things.  The  deepening  gloom  made  their  own 
escape  from  the  wooda>  appear  all  the  more  fortw- 
nate. .  True,  they  might-Have  built  a  fire  there,  to 
cheer  themselves  by  its  lighf,  and  spread  soft  beds 
of  moss  and  fern  around  it,  and  thus,  even  amid  the 
forest,  they  could  have  risen  superior  to  their  dis. 


J 


^mal  surroundings^  but  stillthere  was  a  very  great 
relief,  which  was  felt  by  all,  at  their  gaining  a  road 


*"' 


A 


'?i 


(  ' 


PAT  APPEARS. 


215 


\Mh,ch  might  lead  them  to  3omo>uman  abode. 
Resides   they  were  .hungry.    They  had  eaten  all 
l.c',r  sandwiches,  and  were  eager  for  something  to 
.  assuage  the.r  ravenous  appetites  ^ 

marrT/th  ">' -  ■■'  ™''  ''°"'"™'-'  ^^ioh  greatly 
marred  the,r  joy,  a^d  that  was  the  thought  of  poor 
Pat.    Perhaps  he  still  was  wandering  in  the  woods, 
havmg  given  up  his  chase,  calling  for  them,  and 
thinking  that  they  had  deserted  him.    The  thought 
of  poor  Pat's  loneliness  was  a  sad  one  to  aD  of 
them  and  they  could  only  find  consolation  in  their 
belief  m  his  perfect  ability  to  take  care  of  himself 
At  books  he  might,  not  be  very  brilliant,  but  in  aU 
the  practical  matters  of  life  Pat  was  certainly  in 
every  way  worthy  of  being  left  entirely  to  himself. 
Under  such  circumstances,  Pat  was  able  to  shine 
with  uncommon  brilliancy.    In  all  probabiUty,  he 
would  fere  better  if  left  to  hi,  own  devices,  than 
he  would  If  he  were  a  memb«r'«^a  crowd  of 
school-boys     With  such  thought*  as  these  they 
.comforted  themselves,  and  thus  tried  to  overcome 
jtheir  anxiety  about  Pat. 

They  had  walked  about  half  a  mile  after  leaving 
the  woods,  when  they  saw  a  figure  approaching 
them     It  was  not  far  away  when  they  first  noticed  ■. 
that  figure,  and  it  appeared  strangely  femiliar. 
Ihey  came  nearer  and   nearer.     The  familiar 


.outhne»^^app^ohing  flgure^ewlnBreand' 
more  distinct.    At  last  the  figure  came  close  up  to 
them,  and  then  suspicions  became  a  delightful  oei^ 


V-%2WIJ 


jrK.^ 


&£ 


^■ 


Cji^ 


:'■.»- 


216 


THE  BOTa  OP  OBiND  PEE  SCHOOL. 


IZL  "  "^  "»  """"■  th^  Pat  himself! 

"  WK      j-i^   returning  wanderer, 
a^kel  ^°"  «''  °"*  <"■  tl-^  -oods?"  the). 

-Whin,  is  it?    S„e  it  wor  ony  five  minutes 
"  Wtere  are  you  going  ?  " 
^  'CZ>  '^  "V«-  ^'^  goin  back  tin  the 

hear'^ns  ^111^  y^^;  "'""^  "'«"  "^    "'d"''  /ou 

andr„aret:l:rCnV:S^^^^ 

and  croakpf?  arxA       j  ^niscied,  and  crowed. 

m«ke:    We  '2,  "!''  ''^^Z.'""-  t^"'  -«  could 

"as  only  by  Since  .w"^^^'"^  '°  ^'"'  y""'     I' 
have  just  b^  t  .1        u  "^^  '^""'^  *«  '•^d-    We 

'•-.aCffi„t^,,t::oragai\7^ 

«  Snra  n     \,    f.  ^^^  ^°"  ^^^6  chasinff  ?  " 

did  ?  rru'cLbtsT^t;'''"^^''-'^  Niver 
an  it  dodged  an  T,t  ^"'"'^«d  it,  an  chased  it, 
dhred  t^ef  but  th„  ^°7^'  ^  ''*''™*  it  a  hun- 
80  it  did"    '  '  ''"'"  """^'^  «»'  «ff  afther  aU, 


't 


"  So  yon  didn't  catch  it" 


-■*»«*«,  ,^^ 


■*«»-««^ 


THE  UITLE  BASTE.  jIT 

"  Catch  it  ?Niver  a  catch     Tf  ♦  i 
.        a  place  that  I  couldn't  gtifut  ofV   .  T  "^  '■'"o 
-   1  lost  me  pole  an  ^L  t        "''  ''^"^  "n  l""""- 

of  it,  an  iZdir;  Jut  whtt'' '"' "  ^■«" 

1  found  mesilf  by  the  r2 '  5     t   ^l "  ""''''"*• 

it  wor  mesilf  tha^  wor  Id  tm  fid  I  P"""''  • 

-•The  dirty  little  »,„.,     .?  ^°^  *■»**  same.' 
caught,  ifJfc^H^^^^^ 

<       l\^^*^^'r*3^  Me  baste?" 
'-    '  Why,  the  wild  turkey  " 

r^Mturkey,    Ha,^a,ha." 

"  Wild  duck,  thin." 

foS  '"* ' "  """'  "^o  "-^^^  '•  »-!  another  laugh 
-^^^sStlr:  -  -:;  ™^  i^  .ad 

•     ab'arver';'^'''''''""'"'*--'.ain?-„„nt 

\       What  wor  it  thi*n?»^  •  j  t^ 
■  V'O'^Id  anythin  like    t     V.l  ^'";    "  ^'"«^  *■<'  ^ 
i>d;  an  it  had  long   p  L.  al.        '"^^  '^^s,  so  it 
i'anykindofaralftnf."""'"**    ^^    " 

7o:L?:e?:7c5'S^f -«>-•    "HaWt 
J' PnoM  "  said  Bart 


original,  Ll fide  Zt  Ilh  "T  '«!.■'■'•-«->. 
«  gnost,  that  howls  and  knocks  in 


•"  .* 


'■», 


^218     THE  BOYS  OP  GRAND  PR6  SCHOOL.   ' 

the  Academy  garret.     You  ought  to  have  known 
It  at  once.     I  did,  the  moment  I  saw  it." 

''  Ah,  blatheration  take  ye,  wid  yer  ghosts,  an 
yer  howls,"  said  Pat,  peevishly.  «  An  what  wor 
that  ye  said?"  he  asked,  turning  to  Arthur. 
"What  wor  the  name  av  the  little  baste  that  ye 
mintioned  jest  now.  thin  ?  '*-  * 

"  A  porcupine,"said  Arthur. 
"  Porkypine  ! "  said  Pat.  "  Porkypine  !  Well 
It  wor  a  strange  baste  intirely.  I  thried  hard  to 
get  hira.  It  ud  have  been  a  swate  baste  fur  the 
Musayum,  so  it  wud.  But  I  cudn't  get  a  howld 
av  him,  bad  luck  to  him  !  " 

«  It's  lucky  for  you,  Pat,"  said  Bart,  "  that  you 
didn't  get  hold  of  him.    He's.^ot  spikes  enough 
about  his  back  to  stick  you  through  and  through, 
if  you  put  your  hand  on  him.    You've  got  off  very 
easily,  Pat.     You  ought  to  say  good 'luck  to  him." 
"  Sure  an  it's  mesilf  that  niver,  niver  saw  the 
aqual  av  that  baste,  so  I  didn't.     I  hit  him  mesilf 
wid  me  powl  a  dozen  cracks  — yes,  a  hundhred ; 
but  niver  a  bit  did  he  budge  for  all  that  same.    He 
didn't  let  out  ayven  a  squake,  so  he  didn't.    An 
me  a  chasin  av  him  over  the  wuds  !    But  I  cudn't 
get  nair  hifai." 

"  O,  well,  Pat,  it's  all  right,"  said  Bluce.  «  You 
ought  to  be  glad  you  didb't  get  near  him.  You'd 
have  been  laid  up  for  a  couple  of  months  if  you 
jad^    If  you  don'tjanderstand^  porciIpinefl^yaft>4-^ 


better  steer  clear  of  them.     They're  not  very 


m- 


V    »«•'%.'  ;,^^,.. 


ONWARD. 


219 


pleasant  beasts  to  handle.  I  -know  that.  But 
come,  boys.  It's  getting  darker  and  darker.  We 
mustn't  stand  dawdling  here  all  night.  Hurry  up, 
and  come  along."  ^  ^j 

Saying  this,  Bruce  strode  forward,  and  all  the 
boys  followed. 


^\ 


1 


! 


:...^^^.^^^ .  . ^    I  illMltllll 


%'"-: 
'^'-  ^'^ 


rf 


220 


THE  BOrs  OP  GRAND  PBE  SCHOOL. 


♦A  I 


M 


xyi. 

Sudden  and   unaccountme  lieunion   nf  iJ.     \ 
wandeHng  Bands  —  A   i     ^""^"^   ^/  ^^^  i^^^o 

scribed  4  sZ^odJ.l  r^etr    ''''^' •  '^ 

foa.  Bay,  or  Hall HaZZZZ  !ZV 

.  Plain.  -  TwinUing  LiqJds  —  ^uZ     i     \  ^^'' 

,^-  S.rf,rea,inAn  i^L^d^^^l  '' 

»    ,,    T*^  ^*  ^a«  about  eight  o'clock.     The 

were  «;  r ^I^T^st^^^^^^^^ 

ever.    As  they  walked  on  th^  co^d  ,fe  fuTa  ^" 

paces  before  them.  ^  ^"*  ^  ^^^ 

They  supposed  themselves  to  be  eroine-  in  th. 
direction  of  the  house  whnr^  +k  ^    ^   °  *^® 

but  aftpr  oil  1  ®  *^®  "^^gons  were  left  • 

familiar,  could  be  JcoZZ     C.^^'^''"'''^'' 
peered  anxiously  thS  th«    t       '?  T"'  '^'^     ■ 


ji>-7«».>.-»  Avj.  /p, ' 


REUNION. 


221 


The/srr;a;tSdToi  a  Lxnv''^""' 

appea.^  renaere,  gigantir^Ar.-!;  "a  fc 
ness.     The  boys  hurried  towards  them  pn^  n 
at  once  addressed  the  foremost  4*':  '     '  ^""'' 

^2:/bZT  '^"^  "'  '"«  --  -'^''t  ad. 

-tt:r^ro;rtS^trian^^^^^^^^^ 

aame  question  ifft  had  been  finUhfd         '''"  ""' 
It  was,  -—  * 

£ruce.    "Will  you  be  kind  enough  to  tell  me      " 

IL7t:™eT::ir''^"'^«°'^''''™p%- 

Bruce.    "HaUoi;*. 


Dr.  Pbrterltl^ 


*or  a  fe^  moments  berth  parties  were  ove.^ 


222 


THE  BOYS  OP 


/. 


P  JpAND  PB6  school.  • 

whelmed  with  utter  bewilderment  and  a  total 
prostration  of  all  their  faculties.  iThis  amazing 
and  incomprehensible  reunion  of  those  who  had 
parted  fiye  hours  ago  in  the  wild  woods,  by  the 
lofty  precipice  and  the  thundering  surf,  gging  in 
exactly  opposite  directions,  yet  coming  together  in 
darkness  and  fog,  was  a  tiling  which  might  well 
reduce  them  to  complete  stupefaction. 

Then  there  arose  a  general  uprgar  of  questions, 
each  party  asking  the  other^^wrhere  they  had  been, 
and  where  they  supposed  ^themselves  to  be  now' 
and  Avhere  they  thought  they  were  going.  "  '"  ' 
,  "  This  is  a  most  incomprehensible  thing  !  "  said 
the  doctor.    ^'       ^  ^ 

"  How  long  have  you  been  on  the  road,  sir  ?  " 
'•'  Not  over  a  quarter  of  an  hour." 
«  Have  you  been  in  the  woods  all  the  tjme  ?  " 
"  Yes,  walking  steadily  in  this  direction." 
« And  could  you'  manage  to  keep  a  straiffht 
course?"  ^ 

"0,yes." 

"  You  didn't  walk  abng  the  cliff— did  you,  sii-?  " 
"  0,  no.'*  - 

"  I  don't  see  how  you  managed  to  go  on  straight 
when  you  were  in  the  woods." 

"O,  I  managed  by  my  eye,"  said  the  do<ior, 
calmly.  « I  also  tried  to  correct  that  tenc^ncy  to 
swerve  to  tho  right  that^ou  spoke  of,  and  I  think 
J^eaicijeeded.^  You  «ee^tftpad  I  warreiy^i^^ 


ferther  away  from-H^U's  HaVbor  than  I  supposed. 


p 


.     THE 'doctor's   OPINIONS.  £23 

in  fact,  your  conjecture  must  have  been  rio-ht  and 
we  were  nearer  Scott's  Bay  by  a  great  deal  tha'n  we 
.      were  to  Hall's  Harbor.   We  had  swerved  very  much 
to  the  right.     As  I  went  on  I  became  convinced  of 
this,  and  tried  constantly  and  most  carefully  to 
guard  against  it.    I  succeeded  therefore  in  goine 
almost  in  a  perfectly  straight  line.     But  our  march 
was  a  very  fatiguing  one,  I  must  confess.    It  grew 
dark,  too,  and  we  were  just  on  the  point  of  giving 
up,  when  we  came  to  a  pasture  field,  and  then  found 
the  road     We  didn't  see  any  houses  near,  and 
couldn  t  find  how  far  away  W  house  might  be. 
At  first  I  thought  of  going  VHall's  Harbor,  but 
finally  I  concluded  to  turn  to  the^  left,  and  go  on 
towards  Cornvyallis. .  But  you,  how^did  you  happen 
to  lose  your  course  so  completely  ?     Why,  you've 
made  a  complete  circle.     You  must  hav^e  been 
turmng  to  the  right  ever  since  you  left.     You've 
got  mtb  the  HaU'B  Harbof  road,  and  are  now  walk- 
m^^traight  towards  Hall's  Harbor.     What  a  most 
extraordinary    and    most    absurd    situation  1     I 
wouldn't  have  believed  this  to  be,  possible,  had  it 
not  been  first  for  my  own  mistake  to-day,  and  now 
for  this  one  of  yours.     But  it  seems  to  me,  Bruce,  ^ 
that  your  circle  has  been  more  complete  than  mine 
'    Zade!"         ^  *^e^endou8  march  you  must  have 

actor's   omW.   Tirow  ^i^  :^r_^--        ,.  .     .^  . 


TOor/s  quiet  ■way  of  infortiing  hiriTbtut  his 
Bituation  bewildered  him  more  than  the  first  dis- 


■ 


f 

(', 
i, 

t 


■« 


224 


THE  BOYS  OP  GRAND  PR6  SCHOOL. 


covery  had  done.  A  « tremendous  "  circuit  it  must 
indeed  have  been.  How  had  they  managed  to  go 
so  fast,  and  reach  the  road  before  the  doctor's 
=  Pf'.^^;?  It  must  have  been  that  chase  after  Pat 
which  put  them  astray.  After  that  they  had  lost 
all  Idea  of  their  way,  and  had  wandered  on  blindly 
«ot  knowmg  wliere  they  were  going,  and  for  that 
niatter  not  caring  very  much,  either.     ' 

"But  are  you  sure  that  this  is  the  Hall's  Harbor 
road?  "he  asked  at  length. 

"  Why,  yes  -  of  course  it  is.  It  ought  to  be  ~ 
we  ve  come  far  enough  to  get  to  it.  What  did  you 
think  it  was  ?  "  •^. 

"Why,  we  thought  it  was  the  Scott's  Bay 
road."  ^ 

"The  Scott's  Bay  roadl"  cried  the  doctor,  and 
burst  into  a  hearty  fit  of  laughter. 

"  Well  sir,"  said  Bruce,  "  to  tell  the  truth,  we 
go  utterly  lost.  Pat  began  chasing  a  porcupine, 
and  we  chased  Pat,  and  followed  him  wherever  h^ 
went.  At  last  we  lost  him.  So  then  we  didn't 
think  about  reaching  the  road'  at  all,  but  only 
about  finding  him.  We  went  on  in  the  direction 
which  he  seemed  to  have  taken,  and  so  we  came 
here  ^^  ""^^  *^^  porcupine  that  led  us 

"  The  porcupine,"  said  the  doctor ;  and  he  ap- 
peared  so  amused  at  this  idea,  that  Bruce  had  to 
tell  him  the  whole  story. 


^fre  &cf  18,'^  sam  the  doctor,  thoughtfuUyrafter" 


/" 


W<"'^»'^wwnm 


-\ 


A  PRteSH  STABT. 


225 


hearing.thi8  story,  «  what  you  ought  to  have  done 
18  this :  You  ought  at  all  hazards  to  have  followed 
the  Ime  of  the  cliff.  That  would  have  brought  you 
to  Scott's  Bay  in  a  little  mol-e  than  an  hour.  You 
could  then  have  .gone,  to  the  house  where  the 
horses  were  left,  and  by  this  time  you  would  have 
been  in  comfortable  quarters,  pitying  us  poor 
^  wanderers." 

.V,"  TlY  ^^'^  ^''"^^'  "  '^^  *"^^  *«  keep  close  by 
the  chff,  but  it  ran  off  in  such  a  direction  that  we 
ielt  It,  and  went  in  what  we  thought  a  truer  course." 
Ha,  ha  I  "  laughed  the  doctor.    "  That  is  always 
the  way^  The  cliff  was  right,  but  you  were  wrong. 
^   The  chff  did  not  turn  away  from  you,  but  you 
turned  away  from  the  cliff    It  was  all  that  fatal 
tejidency  to  turn  to  the  right.    Now,  I  was  on  my 
guard;  but  you,  who  gave  me  that  warning,  forgot 
all  ^bout  it  yourself.     But  come,  it  won't  do  to 
stend  here  all  night  talking.    We  afe  now  about 
half  way  over  the  mountain.    We  ought  soon  to 
begin  to  descend  towards  Cornwallis.    There's  a 
man  who  live&  on  this  road  that  I'm  acquainted 
with,~a  Mr.  Smalley,-~and  his  house  can't  be  very 
far  away     We  can  get  something  to  eat  there  at 
least,  and  accommodations  for  the  night.    But  I 
prefer  getting  wagons  and  driving  over  to  Adhere 
we  left  our  own  conveyances.    However,  we  cati 
see  about  that  when  we  get  to  Smrt]]gy>g.» 


W  whole  party  now  walked  on,  and  the  boys 
mingled  with  one  another,  questioning  each  other 
15 


226 


THE  Bora  OP  oka™  pat  schooi,. 


.  clothes  werj'badly  to™  Th  "  T'T"''  '""'  "'«- 
«wan,p3  and  brushCo™  and  over  ,  ^""^  ^''""'^^ 
*--■    The,  were  Wu  f/fe^lf^f \»f  ^"- 

no^v  oiily  eusfiinp.?  k    *u     ^    latigued,  and   were 

■•■'«  the  en7„ss  :r/irt'r  ^°''"  ^-^"• 

•     puzzle  to  Bruce's  nartv  i^'  "'•'"  "  8^''«*' 

fatigued;  and  t^e/co^dn?Lr''r°i  ""'''^ '" 
could  have  gon.  so  irfanhe/tha  "«  ''7  '""^ 
party  without  feeling  so  worn  o^t  a,  H  t- ""■'' 
were.  Thev  att,il,„;„j  *V  ■  "'  "'®"'  '"ends 
•  fact  that  Z  docto '1  ?"'  ''S"«^-'  «'«'  to  the 

^t^-ghtcouXtlrjltofTt  '■>  ■°"''  P"*^"^ 
ly,  to  the  othe-  fS  thit  th"''  "°<'«^™„d. 
beguiled  by  Pat's  aHvl!  *'""''.J<'»"fy  '»<!  been 
whieh  first  afforded  th'  '""'  "l  P"'""?'""- 
wards,when  he  t,i    ?  ^""'^^"'^"tVnd  after- 

•  -uhat  th^;^q  titr  n-  -"- 

After  walking  soi^,  distance  farther  tie  r„„^  .». 
tbe.r  great  dehght,  began,  to  descend  '  ^     "''  '^ 

dcctor:;;„fr  1  w",^  ^o™'^'"'-."  said  the 
than  I  ;„pp„3  ^'  '^  ^^'•y  "»uch  farther  on 
Smalley's.  "Tsee  how^!  ""/"-J^-'tly  far  beyond 
Bwerving  to  the  Z  \\  °  "^^  ""^^'^'y  *°  »-<*'d 
Bruce,  ifto  th ^S  LtZ  ""'X"  ^»"  "''^' 
swerved  to  the  k^    Th»r  '  ""'"""y 

toense  length  df  „„rjp„":' 'Tf  *"■  *^  ""• 
over^m  glad  tfiatit  h^lt  5"":?^^»*  ^«*^ 


-m  glad  that  It  happened  so.    It  brings  us  aU 


I 


I 


NEW  DOUB-rei. 


m 


227 


fluenco  ,„  giving  them  fresh  energy. 

kept"  on  fhf  r  i"""'^  '"^"'''^  ^"'1  ''"'ther,  and  now 

"rj;:Lt;s^,rer^r^'^--- 

tiller*  f  T,r"*'  ""''  'J««'=«"ded  lower  and  io,Jr 
M  at  last  they  seemed  to  have  reached  the  S'  ' 
for  the  road  became  level,  and  went  on  8^' 
without  any  more  windings  straight, 

awt;  on  fe  'tff  "''^"^^  '^  '^"^  "^^'^  -'  f- 

ho^rdl^*"^'''"  "'''  *«  '^~^^-   "But 
.so«J4tt^^^^^^^^^ 

^ooJ^litX^Zmo^ni-^-^----' 


*^ 


^^Bf^pose^t's  thrstroflg  southerly  wind;-'  said 
'■  Te^  I  dare  sayv"  .         /'"' 


/ 


Sge.. 


A 


228 


THE  BOys  OP  GRAltD   Pr6  SCHOOL. 


"  The  wind  seems  to  stijike  us  here  from  a  very 
odd  direction.  It  must  c(j)me  across  the  Bt^sin  of 
Minas.  It's  just  as  though  it  came  from  the  east." 
"  0,  we  can't  tell."  said  |the  doctor.  «  This  road 
winds  so  that  we  get  it  sojtnetimes  in  our  faces,  and 
sometimes  in  our  backs."  1 
"  It  must  be  after  nine,|'  said  Bruce.  i 

"  Yes,"  said  the  doctoij ;  "  and  I  dare  say  We've 
passed  several  houses  o^  the  road.  The  j^eople 
here  are  not  very  liberal  in  the  use  of  cahdles. 
They  sit  around  the  kitchen  fire'  till  about  nine 
o'clock,  and  then  go  t(^  bed.  That's  the  reason 
why  we  have  not  seen  any  lights.  There  miist  be 
quite  a  number  of  houses  along  here." 

By  this  time  they^  had  come,  in  front  of  the 
hoi^se.  It  stood  aboiu^^a  dozen  yards  froni  the 
road.  The  light  proceeded  from  a  small,  lower 
window.  The  house  Was  only  a  cottage,  and  the 
dim!  outline  of  a  bai>n  could  be  seen  a  littb 
farther  on.  /  j 

"  This  does  not  look,' like  Atkins's,"  said  the' doc- 
tor, ^fter  he  had  scamped  the  cottage  and  the  Wm. 
"  At|cins's  is  very  mujih  larger  than  this,  and'  is  a 
different  looking  plade  altogether.  I  don't  think 
we'c^an  have  passed  if.  No,  it  must  be  farthef  on. 
Ajjany  rate,  we  canstsk  here,  and  they  can  tell  us 
exactly  how  far  we  have  yet  to  go.  I'm  sor^y  it 
isn't  Atkins's,  though,  for  I  fully  expected  t^  be 
ther^.    Besides,  we  |all  walat  rest.'' 


The  duutur  looked  pnc6  more  at  the  Tidiise7and 


f 
t 
t 

g 

ti 

P 
ii 


M 


4 


A 


THE  DOUBTS  INCREASES. 


229 


Wen  at  th«f  barn.  As  they  stood  there,  thus  look- 
ii^g  m  silence,  there  came  to  their  ears  a  very 
pecuhar  sound,  which  made  every  one  start. 

It  was  a  long,  rolling  sound,  made  tip  of  the  rush 
pf  many  waters,  such  as  can  be  huard  nowhere  else 
but  upon  the  sea-shore  —  that  peculiar  noise  of 
^  fathering  floods,  such  as  is  heard  when  the  sea 
throws  forth  its  waves  towards  the  land,  to  curl 
up,  foaming,  and  break  ui)on  the  strand.    Here  it 
arose  amid  this  darkness/— that  peculiar,  that  un- 
mistakable   sound,  —  w/th  its   gathering  watera. 
Its  foam,  its   roll,  and /its  crash  as   the  uplifted  , 
waters  broke, -the  soiiud  tjmt  can  be  made  by 
the  surf,  and  the  surf  alone. 
But  what  did  it  mean  ? 

What  was  the  meaning  of  the  surf  breaking  thus 
upon  the  inner  side  of  the  North  Mountain,  far  in- 
land,  on  the  plains  of  Cornwallis  ? 

Were  the  dikes  broken  down  ?  Was  this  some 
flood  pouring  in  over  the  cWry  to  overwhelm 
them  ?  Was  the  raging  sea  noM^lling,  in  undis- 
turbiad  possession  of  ^p  ancient  bed>Q,ver  aU  the 
green  vaUeys  of  this  lately  smiling  plain?  Was 
there  the  terrific  visitation  of  a  deluge  here  in  this 
peaceful  country  ?  and  were  ulT  the  people  now  fly. 
ing  from  the  horrors  oflan^nundatfon  ?      ^  h 

Whfikt  did  it  mean  ? 
Up  to  this  moment,  thiere  had  not  been  a  doubt  in 


V\ 


the  minda-of^^Djr  o^them  that  they  WeTe^  near" 
A&ins's,  somewhere;  in:  CornwaUis,  on  the  HaU's 


i-"" 


'«vE^- 


•^^ 


■^ 


230 


THE  BOYS  OP  GRAND  Pb6  SCHOOL. 


.  Harbor  road.    The  doctor's  quiet  positiveness,  th^ 
perfect  certainty  with  which  he'had  spoken,  and         ^ 
the  minute  acquaintance  which  he  seemed  to  have 
with  every  part  of  their  past  and  present  journey 
aU  conspired  to  impress  upon  the  minds  of  the 
boys  the  very  idea  of  their  possible  locality  which 
was  m  his  own  mind;  and  thus  it  happened  that  it 
was  while  they  fully  believed  themselves  entering 
upon  a  wide  plain  that  they  suddenly  heard  the 
thunder  of  the  surf  upon  the  shore. 
.        The  doctor  hoard  this  as  plainly  as  an^  of  them, 
'    of  course  and  all  the  thoughts  whij^h  came  to  them 
came  to  him  also  none  the  less  ylvidly.     But  be    ^ 
said  not  a  single  word.    He  stiiprmute,  and  waited 
lor  a  fe.v  moments  longer  ^^^ougli  doubting  the 
evidence  of  his  senses,     f  ^ 

^    Once-  more  the  sounc^l^rose.    The  waters  gath- 
erpd  themselves  together,  they  rolled  forward,  thev 
heaped  themselves  upward,  they  foamed,  and  then 
.they  broke  upon  tjie   shore.     Thus,  wave  after 

^'Cnhe  set  r^  ""^  """^  ^""^  '^""^^  ""^  *^^  P'^'^"^"^ ' 
It  was  enough. 

''  I  don't  kno^^  where  in  the  world  we  have  got 
to,"  ejaculated  the  dpctor,  at  last. 
"  It  can't  be  Cornwallis,"  said  Bruce.  ^ 

Bo"  7d  """'*  ^^  ''''  *^^  '^°'"®  ''^^'°^'  ^^^°'"  «*^<^ 
"  I  think  it's  Pereau,"  said  Bart. 


-40aM,  ^ow  ^here  Ir  is/^  saiff  the  doctory 


r'^'vmuJiMutmmmi, 


■•"^miMUMbuimmmmk, 


/' 


THE  NIGHT  CA£L. 


231 


t:^:^!^.'''''''  ''^''    ^"^  the  best  wa,  is 

cottlrlf;,*^^*^^  *""'^^  '^  *'-  <^oor  of  the 
arc  e^an/f  ^  ''^  "'"'' "  strongsmeli  of  fish 
arose,  and  formed  a  new  and  striking  proof  of  the 

rWk  V';  T    ^^^^^'"^  the'dLS  doe 
tor  knocked   loudly,  and  all  the   boys   gathered 

,--^W  the  result  of  his  in,4,an"^^^^^ 

At  first  there  was  no  response. 
1  he  doctor  knocked  again 
^^Footsteps  were  now  heard,  and  a  voice  Cried 

"Who's  there  ?"« 

-Friends,"  said  the  doctor.    "  We've  lost  onr 
way,  and  want  to  find  it."  ^  ""^  ' 

sai;t:S.''*''^''^^"°''^'*'''-»'-™"'t0Pen," 

At  this  tfeey  turned  away  to  look  for  the  back 
door,  wondenng,  as  they  went,  what  the  oc  una„t 
of  the  house  supposed  a  front  door  was  madSr 
It  seemed  to  them  like  stories  which  they  had  rfe^ 
of  some  Dutch  villages,  where  the  people  are^ 

occas ir  „n»  H  •'"'^"  ™^'^  ^^''^P*  »"  ""^  g'«a' 
burT  AtTn  r^  "  """"g^-^d  the  other  a 
r^  -^tsE  othsr  fmes  fh«  back  door  auj  th» 
back  rooms  are  used. 

So  to  this  back  door  they  tried  to  work  their 


Tw 


232 


THE  BOYS  OP  GRAND  Pr6  SCHOOL. 


"^^eii  mejr   iirst  paused  to  look  nf  fK^      xx 
Therfi  if  />or««  +i  ,  ^^  *"®  cottaee. 

-luore  It  came,  the  sound  nf  iha  „«*u    •  ° 

Through  the  g,o„.  they  JoulT'e'e  the  o^^SLTa 

:sir^v-rje':ii^"'"-^^ ' 

This  fl*n,-fo^  .  nsnermen  m  these  waters. 

Aflis  excited  no  surprise,  however     Tf  ««i 

earf  and  the  odors  wafted  from  the  decavme  fish 

^^S^"^  """^^  «■«  house  fh:y^fnt4 
-tto«fer«ad  tedf  *Dor  wiTe  open,  and  a  mn  S  ~" 


""'""'■■'•fciiniw.,. 


Scott's  bay. 


233 


ing  in  the  doorway,  with  a  candle  in  one  hand  and 
a  pipe  m  the  other.    The  candle  flared,  and  flSc 
ered,  and  sputtered  in  the  wind  and  foe    and  hi 
was  blinking  through  the  darkness  aX". t 
catch  a  ghmpse  of  his  visitors.  ^^ 

He  wasjgjjhort,  thick-set,  red-faced  man,  with 
whiskers gp,g  aU  round  in  a  "  sea  dog "  sorlof 
fashion,  oW^i  shirt,  and  canvas  trons!rs,  which 

^8  unbuttoned,  so  as  to  give  free  play  to  the 
organs  of  h,s  n>anly  chest.    He  had  no  coa^aTd 
for  that  matter,  no  boots.    I„  poi^t  „f  f^^  ^^  '^^' 
2  h-  stocking  feet.    His  grizLd  hair  and  belrd 

kmd ;  but  his  stout,  sturdy  frame  and  bluff  coun 
tenance  exhibited  no  decay  of  strength. 

them     *  C  ™^  '  ■  '"''' '"''  ^^  •'«  "''"ght  sight  of  '. 

^r:n,ri:r:'''^^--'="^-^^- 

"What  place?    Haw,  haw,  haw  I    What  I  don't 
you  even  taiow  the  place  ?  Haw,  haw,  haw     wl 
this  here  place  is  Scott's  Bay  I »  7' 


THE  B0I3  OF  GBAm  nt  SCHOOL. 


I  t 


■      •  ^     XVii. 

COTT'S  BAY! 

The  eiiiotions  of  the  doctor  and  «ll   i  • 

scarcely  believe  it  •  hnffi     n  *^^^   ^^"^^ 

admit  the  truth  '?V""'S,  they  were  forced  to 

an  ample  hearth.    Here  his  wife  rtce^vTifhr?     '  ■ 
expected  eneata  ^  'si.o  ,  received  the  nn-  ' 

fortoble  bodytft 'hetaee?/  "r*"'"''  'J"'"'''*'  ~"'- 

them  i,  the^Js"^s^^°°^rh  trr-^ 

»9i^.r„rh„apita.i^,  BenT^bo^^SSr" 


^g* 


Jl»**lifc*»«««««i,»^(«,l, 


THE  SOPPER. 


235 


any  question,  but  devoted  h,8  whole  energies 
towards  making  his  guests  comfortable.  HepuUed 
forward  an  old-fashioned  settee,  drew  forth  the 

crde  of  seats  arranged  around  the  fire,  where  all 
could  Wcommodated.    After  this  his  ^ife  ^pre  d 

prepamLT/  '    "'^'  '"'''^'  '^^  ^-^S^"  to  make 
preparations  for  a  repast. 

,1nl7^'"^  fairly  starving?"  said  Bennie  to'' the ' 
doctor,  interrogative!}'.  . 

The  doctor  acknowledged  tliat'  they  wero 
ouT'Tread  '^f f^  ^^^^  -*  to  pntU  f 
£S;^"^-^^**^Vandniilk>ere  air  that 

At  this  Bennie  laughed,  and  Mrs.  Bennie  iaudied 
•      tir'^"-''-'^"--'^^->^-ing"r!5; 

nie':s:::tfd"hetrd  rth-":  '""^'''  "^-  ^^"- 

^  iiei,  dna,  at  the  same  time,  ure-ed  hw 
^ests  omake  the;nselves  comforteble.'    s'the; 

At  last  the  table  was  spread.  /     , 

And  such  a  spread  I  *       ' 

4S3^^!i"!rf:  ■""'-''•  "t"-  «'™e'*  and 


mke    «temporaneou8    spreads  like   yours?     I 


■w*  *<, 


236 


'  r 


TH?  BOYS  OF  GRAND  Pb6  SCHOOL. 

For  here  Bennie  and  his  wife  spread,  out 
Broiled  salmon,  -     "^^ 

Ham  and  eggs,. 
Mealy  potatoes,     ,^    , 
Cream  cheese. 
Tea,       .    ^  ' 

Coffee, 
Cream, 
Apple  sauce. 
Broiled  chicken, 
Mince  pies, 
Apple  pies. 

Cold  corn  beef,  * 

Cold  roast  beef, 

Cold  fillet  of  veal,    " 

Fresh  bread. 

Hot  rolls. 

Pickles, 

Cold  ham. 

Chow-chow, 

Tomato  ketchup,  ■ 

Ginger  pop. 

Currant  wine. 

Cranberry  preserves, 
'  Plum  presierves. 
Quince  preserves, 
Cake, 
Bacon, 
^Smoked  herringe^"— -=" 


,  ,f^ 


Alewives, 


».Wii|i«wlr-..— ^..^j!..,^ ._ 


mmi''^^^'^'^^- 


.^•, 


EXPLANATIONS. 


237 


Finnen  baddies, 
Salad, 

Buckwheat  pancakes, 
■    Mushroom  ketchup, 
Pickled  oysters. 
Maple  honey,    ' 
:'         Johnny  cakfes, 

ali-accounted  for  ^"'  ''""derings  were   . 

Pat,  had  actually  reached  ti!     "'*''«'"''ase  after 

hadai,ned,vi./«.e"st  tVLCdlf '=''  ''"' 
«f' rwayto  the  place  where  tTpC'  ^"'  "^ 
when  the  doctor  mef  ZT       .         ■'"  """•«  "^ept, 

Secondly,  thTdoTt^^raltiir:^*-  O"*' 
now  became  intelligible.  *^  ""  ^"  P""^ 

He  had  aet  out  wjth  thn  M„„  ;,    i  -        

^**»a™g  that  fetal  t„nr       .  wea  in  Urifiind  oT 

of  whic!  Br^ot^J*^  *» -«"e  to  the  right 


f 


V 


S«"W»M(l»-'»»>M!R«!wr«!r«' 


.V'-rbtett- 


238 


'  t 


THE  BOYS  OP  GBiM)  PBt  SCHOOL. 


hat  It  had  led  to  a  swefving  ft  the  opposite  dhtc 

The  consequence  wa?,  that  he  had  led  his  follov^i 
ers  over  a  long  and  fatiguing  journey,  in  a  co^. 
plete  circle,  until  at  last  he  had  actual W  brouX  > 
them  into  the  Scott's  Bay  road.    But  he^tSg 

to  be  the  Hall's  Harbor  road.    As  -he  wished  to  go 
to  Cornwams,  he  had,  therefore,  turned  to  the  left, 

had  IT  if™"    "'"'''  *''  ^""^'^  idea,  and  thus 
had  met  Brace's  party,  who  were  going  in  the 

proper  direction.    He  had  made  them  turn  back 
™thh.m,and  had  thus  led  them  to  Scott's  Bay 
never  imagm.ng  that  he  could  be  wrong  until  that  ' 
awful  moment  when  the  ominous  roar  of  the  surf 
showed  h,m  that  he  must  be  very  far  away  from 
where  he  supposed  himself  to  be. 

Old  Bennie  laughed  loud  and  long  as  he  listened 
to  the  story  of  their  wanderings,  and  his  laughter 
strucj  pleasantly  and  cheerily  upon  their  ears.    For 

wZl  t  r  "f""^'^  by  the  generous  repast 
which  their  host  had  spread  before  them,  and  a 
new  hfe  had  arisen  within  them.  Their  palt  wan- 
denngs  were  n«w  nothing  m<5re  than  amusing  rem- 
imscences.     Tho  t^bleJSf  before  them  wrth  its   ' 

iffi!mtoouast«^4««d^tl«„r^he^big^ro-arBSfft^ 
sustained  ito  load  of  crackling  fire  Jogs,  among 


^-  '  Vlnl'.. 


■"W^^WW^K^i'^illliM*. . 


/■ 


A  night's  best. 


239 


ment  a   certain  joyous   and  "'5  '"°°«'J  '^^^^ 
beneath  whose   influence    all   th        *'™^P''««. 

They  slept  that  night  variouslv     Tl.'j    .     , 
a  room  to  himself   %,  ^"^490817.    The  doctor  had 

^vhich  Jigg  "aid  B^  r"''  *'™'"'  "^  "^^J  »" 

Johnny  EKultfaTAtTf!;    '^"""^  '"«> 
the  floor.     A,  &;  I?      !  1  "^  '"'^^  stretched  on 

on  the  hay    wlieh  ,r    '  *'T  ^'^P*  '"  ">«  ■'='™, 

which  the/o'nsItldoZ  ' B t? 't  *"/"^"">^ 
them  with  various    „£.  '"^"^  *°  '*"?' 

kitchen  floor-  but  th  J  ?  T^"^  °^«'  *">» 
Bennie  himseif  filJlX"-  l\  V-ow,  and 
showed  their  sense         f  *'  '"*  *  <=''<''4    ' 

Jw^teTgifini  '':r^''^' "-  ^«i  ■ 

shone  brightly  and  aU  th  "^  "'"'^y'  *•>«  «»" 
before  thel  ey;s  '     ^'  '"'''"'  ^«™  *«P%ed 

iby  fishing,  ^wticl'  h';''^^''  ^'''  "^'^^ 

•wasalsoaship-yardherfi^    1,        °""^-     "■"« 

bi^sy  season,  a^JJJ!,'""^  ""casionaUy,  in  a 

~-«ses  wer^  B^^lnf^T^  Tfie"^ 

,rpad.  ^^"^"^^"^^''^^d  situated  alongtheV 


\* 


r  r-  T  T'  ■nT'-.«fr 


240 


THE  BOYS  Op   GRAND  PB6  SCHObL. 


^ 


' 


All  around  the  scenery  was  magnificent.    The 
bay  was   a   small   indentation   behind   Blomidon, 
formed  by  a  long,  projecting  ^^ur  of  the  Nort^ 
Mountain,  which  ran  on  one  side  of  the  Straits  of 
Miuas,and  terminated  in  those  rugged  and  sublime 
fragments  of  shattered  and  storm-riven  rock  that 
give  to  that  point  the  name  of  Cape  Split.    The 
beach  was  k  long  crescent,  that  extended  for  about 
two  miles^^iA  was  bounded  at  either  extremity  by 
lofty  precipices.     Before  it  lay  the  blue  waters  of 
the  Bay  of  Pundy,  with  the  long  precipitous  line 
of  coast  on-^eilherside;  and  immediately  in  front 
though  many  kiles  away,  rose  a  solitary  island' 
With  perpendiciilar  sides  and  flat  summit,  known  by 
the  namey6f  He  Haute,  both  to  the  old  Acadians, 
who  thus  named  it,  and  to  their  English  succes-  ' 
sors. 

That  day  was  Sunday,  and  they  had  to  remain  in 
the  village.     The  doctor,  however  Jfound  occupa- 
tion.   There  was  no  clergyman  stationed  here,  but 
-there  was  a  little  chapel,  where  services  were  held 
about  once  a  month.    Here  he  performed  the  duties 
of  his  sacred  office,  and  the  villagers,  hearing  of 
his  arrival,  turned  out  in  force.     The  doctor  had  a 
crowded  Jiouse,  and  was  so  gratified  by  their  attend- 
ance  in  the  morning,  and  so  touched  by  their  quiet 
but  earnest  attention,  that  he  held  forth  again  in 
the  afternoon. 

As  to  the  mistake  that  the  doctor  had  made  he     • 
^ekirowledge^  If  TntheTiandsomest  manner,    ht  ~ 


..mU. 


THE  DOCTOB'S  advice. 


m 


the  presence  of  all  the  boys,  he  said  ttat  Bruce 
had  been  right,  and  he  had  been  wrong.  He  ac- 
knowledged his  ignorance  of  the  woods,  and  ad- 
vised them,  if  they  ever  again  went  roaming  through 
the  forest,  n6ver  to  trust  to  the  guidance  of  a 
doctor  of  divinity.  He  felt  that  he  might  be  of 
some  small  service  in  guiding  them  through  figura- 
tive forests,  —  in  pointing  out  the  true  way  through 
that  "  obscure  wood  "  by  which  Dante  once  symbol- 
ized this  world  of  man,  — but  as  to  ever  again 
leading  them,  or  having  anything  tp  do  with  them 
in  any  literal,  material  wood,  he  begged  to  bp 
exbused;  and  he  also  advised  them  not  to  have 
anything  to  do  with  him.  He  praised  them  all  for 
their  patient  endurance  in  following  him,  and  hoped 
finally  that  they  would  look  baclc  upon  this  adven- 
ture with  such  pleasant  memories  that  all  the 
troubles  that  they  had  endured  would  b^  for- 
gotten. •  ' 

On  the  other  hand,  every  one  of  the  boys  de- 
clared that  they  had  had  a  most  delightful  time, 
and  that  they  would  not  want  a  better  leader  than 
the  doctor ;  all  of  which  showed  plainly  that  the 
toil  and  trouble  of  these  wanderings  tad  already 
been  forgotten  in  the  peace  and  pleasure  which 
had  marked  their  journey's  end. 

There  remained  now  the  consideration  of  their 
j^Qg^y^rd  jouaiey.    On  Saturdayjnight  the  doctor- 


had  spoken  to  Bennie  about  it,  and  Bennie  said  he 
would  see  about  getting  conveyances  for  them  as 


16 


V 


p*^ 


f 


' 


i 


MH 


THE  BOYS  OP  G3AND  Pr£  school. 


1- 


1  lad  been 


li'"'R\\l'''"J' '"''"'  '""^  '^'"=*»^'»  hordes  had  been 
If.   But  the  doctor  refused  to  let  him  maks  anvT 

rlgemeuts  on  Sunday.    As  he  wiZd  7b  I   ' 

at  Grand  Pr^  on  Monday  in  time  to  boJn  the 

4ooI  he  saw  that  it  would  be  impossiblT  o  let 

Byrne's  conveyances  without  breaking  1  sfb. 

i^f.    But  he  couldn't  do  this.    So  there  was 

^ir  the^tr  :r'  t- "f '".  n  ^'-' 

to  dlo.  *"'  h'  determined 

si  on  Monday  morning,  M  four,  they  ai  rose 

bade  Mr.  and  Mrs.,Bennie  an  affectionate  falewell  ' 
and  departed.     It  was  about  five  before  the vS' 

tion.  The  doctor  found  the  horses  and  wagls  aU 
Bafe ;  but  .t  took  some  ti-^e  to  feed  the  fom  J  and 
Jt  «r  eight  O'clock  before  they'3'at 

■      Thep  they  drove  home  as  fast  is  ttey  could. 
They  arrived  at  the  hill  at  about  eleven.'^' 

d„!t  Tf     ;  '""°"™<'i''&  Bohool  was  nine.    The 
do  tor'L  family  and  Messrs.  Simmonsand  Long  we^ 

ll^VT  "^f^    They  were  waitingforf 
return  6f  the  wanderfers. 

And  |hu8,  when  the  wanderers  at  'length 


But 
The 


the 


t  r  giving  fU  an  aJditioBaraoflaSy:  1 " 


iiia«a 


> ..  #J6ii4-^ 


\' 


MBiA  been 
any  ar. 

be  back 
agin  the 
!e  to  get 
the  Sab- 
are  was 
irt  yery 
10  place 
Brmined 


ihdlp] 


ANOTtfEB  HOLIDAY. 


243 

For  the  8ch(ipl  could  pot  begin  on  that  day. 
That  was  evident.  V*^TO^  ' 

And  thus  they  foun«jfi||^a8  blessed  with 
another  reprieve  from  si 

Hurrah,  boys  i 


J I  rose, 
8  i,  they 

eWeft. 
(o'^tina- 
ODs  all 
9]",  and 
e  able 


a. 


But 
The 
\fere 
icfiool 
•r  the 


"t.,  ., 


« 


re- 
Bc  in 


/ 


/. 


\^l 


4.'/ 


^■ 


W:.', 


^■. 


^^    *^ 


244 


THE  BOYS  OP  GBAOT)  PB^  SCHOOL. 


1^'. 


XVIII. 


-\ 


'HAT  afternoon  Pat  wa8  ve.7  bney  among*, 
the  smaller  boys.    He  asked  them  manf 
f„«n^    questions  abo«t  the  noisejn  the  attic  and 
found  there  was  great  terfor  among  them     Fbr 
the  no.ses  had  been  heaitf  both  on  sfturdayniSt 

nofci:tirr;:rfn^r/th;:r-^ 
srdi:::7:;  Lt-th^  «L't:t^; 

Xpel       °'  ""  J*"- ""  "■'«  -"i-'  -  -bdned 
Pat  fonijd  th«h  k  tly  condition,  and  managed 
^r  S^"^"'  molterrified  before  b°T<L 
tteai,    SomeT5fThem  were  aixTous  to  teU  onelF^ 


THE   OLD  TERROR. 


20 


L 

A 


the  teachers  about  it  aU;  but  Pat  dissuaded  them 
by.  declaring  that  it  would  be  of  no  use,  and  that 
they  would  only  be  laughed  at  for  their  pains 

Many  of  the  other  boys  also,  on  coming  back 
felt  a  return  of  their  former  fear,  and  looked  for! 
w^d  to  the  approach  of  night  with  some  uneasi- 
ness.    Pat  made  himself  quite  busy  with  these 
boys,  too ;  and  although  he  said  nothing  very  di- 
rectly   yet  he  made  many  mysterious  hints  that 
implied  a  gi:eat  deal.    He  alluded  to  his  own  fear- 
ful  position,  with  his  bed  in  that  very  garret,  sep- 
arated by  only  a  board  partition  from  the  dark 
haunts  of  the  mystery.    He  spoke  of  his  past  ex- 
perience ;  and  it  seemed  as  though,  if  he   only 
chose,  he  dould  easily  unfold  a  tale  whose  light- 
est  word  would  harrow  up  their  souls.     Only  he 
didnt.     The  boys  begged  him  to  tell  all.     But 
Pat  wouldn't.    He  shook  his  head  with  deep  and 
solemn  meaning.    And  the  boys  looked  on  him  with 
a  profounder  awe.    And  Pat,  when  he  went  up  to 
his  haunted  chamber,  was  regarded  as  some  poor 
victim  on  his  way  to  his  doom.      ' 

Pat,  however,  was  not  regarded  in  this  light  by 
all  Some  there  were  who  held  aloof  from  this 
leeiing  of  awe.  Among  these  was  Bart,  who  could 
not  help  noticing  Pat's  movements,  and  was  v&^ 
mucl>  impressed  by  them,  though  in  a  way  very 

different  from  that  in  which  the  other  Imva  w^,l 

affected.    He  saw  how  Pat  managed  to  stimulate 
the  excited  miaginations  of  others  without  saying   . 


Hi 


246     THE  BOYS  OF  GRAND  PR6  SCHOOL. 

anything  directly,  and  bfeard  him  lamerrt  most  lach- 
Tymosely  his  hard  fate  in  having  to  ocipy  a  room 
in  so  fearful  a  plac^.  He  happened  to'^be  near  the 
group  to  which  Pat  was  talking,  and  could  not  help 
saying,—  ' 

.  "  Well,  Pat,  my  room's  just  underneath  yout«8, 
and  if  anything  happens,  you  can  take  refuge  with 
me.     I'll  give  you  a  sofa  for  the  night." 

'^^ed,  thin,  an  you'll  find  me  comin  down  some 
night,"  said  Pat,  "  ony  maybe  I  mightn't  iver  git 
down  there.    Maybe  the  same  thing  that  would 
dhrive  me  down  might  prevint  me  goin  down." 
"  Well,  then,  I'll  tell  you  what  to  do :  you  yell 
/like  Old  Harry,  and  I'll  go  up." 
"  You'd  niver  get  up." 
"  Never  get  up  ?    Why  not  ?  " 
"  It  wouldn't  let  you." 
"It?    What  It?" 
"Why,  It  — the  wan  that  walks." 
"The  one  that  walk^?     That's  just  what  it 
doesn't  do.    It's  very  bad  at  walking." 

"  You'd  soon^see,  if  ye'd  iver  find   him.    Any 
how,  he'd  shtop  yer  comin  till  my  room." 

"  Stop  me^    NonsenseJ    How  can  it  stop  me 
when  it's  in  the  cupola?"  ,     ' 

As  he  said  this,  Bart  looked  in  an  expressive 
manner  at  Pat. 

=*e  ttU8pectedtharmrtBi(0wan6rnot,¥ediXno^^ 
give  him  back  any  look  of  intelligence,  or  show 


r 


PAT  IN  DANGER. 


t 


247 


any    confusion.      He    simply  looked    away,   and 
6aid,—  ^  » 

"  Well,  well,  —  aich  wan   must   have   his  own 
opinion.     We'll  know  betther  perhaps  some  day.'^ 
Bart  smiled,  and  turned  away.     Soon  he  joined 
Bruce  and  Arthur. 

"  I've  given  Pat  one  or^o  hints  already,"  said 
he,  "  that  I  saw  through  the  Wfifeiness,  and  I've  just 
given  him  another.     It's  a  shame  ^or  him  to  go 
frightening  the  small  boys  that  way.     i^was  going 
to  arrange  it  all  to-morrow,  or  next  day,  so  that 
they  would  look  on  it  as  a  joke.     But  Pat  is  keep- 
ing  up  the  gloomy,  tragic  character,  and  there'll 
be  more  disturbance.     Only  he'd  better  look  out. 
I've  given  him  fair  warning.     There's  yoor  little 
Harry  Thompson,  with  his  face  as  pale  as  a  sheet. 
It  isn't  fair.     It'll  have.to  be  stopped." 
\ "  Shall  we  stop  it  to-ni^ht  ?  "  * 

\*  Well,  no ;  we  had  better  wait  till  we  see  if  it 
go©9  on,  and  whether  Pat's  hand  can  be  di|»cerned 
in  it.    If  we  do  find  it  so,  I  really  don't  see  any' 
'  reason  why  he  should  be  spared." 

From  this  it  will  be  seen  that  Bart  had  already 
made  his  friends  acquainted  with  the  discovery 
which  he  had  made  in  the  garret,  and  that  they 
had  decided  upon  some  general  plan  of  action. 
They  did  not  wish  to  put  an  end  to  the  affair  too 
-prematurely  or  eluttiBily,  bat  rather  to  iJenmnatn 
in  as  brilliant  a  manner  as  possible. 
As  this  day  was  positively  the  last  of  the  hoi*. 


•'•-•jaa...  - 


;•■ ».  ."i 


THE  BOrS  OP  OBAHD  PK^  SCHOOL; 


.^  b;  »       .    ?•  ^-  ''■    ^'""""o^  *«  celebrate 
It  by  a  modest  supper  ii,  the  Kawdons'  rooms 

Solomon  was  accordingly  called  upon.^d  as  a^ 
ways,  he  showed  himself  equal  t^  the  occasion 
m7'S\  'vT  ""  ^""^^  »<J  Joyousness     ffis 

Ust^etiT  :  "'''  ''"■?'^''»'  i-'^essantly,. 
his  face-kctually  shone,  and  his  complexion  was 
a  nch,  oily  sepia.  He  made  desperate  efforts  to 
preserve  an  air  of  profound  solemnity;  butted 
sior^lly  a  short,  sharp  snort  of  a  laugh  wonW  bur^ 
forth,  aft«  which  his  face  would  a^t  once  re"?u  ■ 
Its  mask  of  gravity.  regain 

_Dar,  blubbed  breddern,  dis  heah's  all  in  hona 
Ob  dis  great  an  shinin  casium.    Tou  hab  now  fin!  ' 

-  hab  boss  Ob  'Cad'my  fare;  none  but  de  brave  you 
know  d      rb^,tfare     Off  you  go  tolibon  ksC 
an  pork,  an  come  back  to  vive  you  healt  by  de  nefi. 
lent  car  ob  ole  Solomon.    Den  off  you  clar  ag  n 
jea  like  mad  an  git  half  etarbed,  so  hab  to  come 
back  ag,„  to  de  tractions  heah.    An  now,  blubbed 
breddern,  p,tch  in.    Heah's  turkey,  an  chicken 
an  sass,  an  mince  pies,  a,  apple  ta  ts,  an  Sed 
>ters   an  red-hot  coffee,  an  cream,  ^n  fifty  oder 
tmgs  too  poomroua  to  mentium.  'Fur  fudda  ticu- 
lar^gemmen,  see  small  bills.     Yours,  truly." 
th.^^  r'^f^^So'omon  welcomed  them  to 
Z^.^r^^^FT'^'^^  boys  seatod-^ 


4U        1  • "- I'^^pareu.     ine  bovs  seated 

themselves  around  the  groaning  board,ld  ^ve 


P*Mpiiiiii)i| 


THAT  AWFUL  SOUND. 


249 


themselves  nj  to  the  joy  of  the  occasion.  They 
fo  .ght  their  battles  o'er  again.    They  went  oZ 

tlrTf  *''«/°«''«y-  Again  ttey  dnfted 
through  the  dense  fog,  or  wandered  through  the 
tactless  forest;  again  they  waded  through  deep 
waters,  or  dug  deep  in  the  solid  ground 

As  they -thus  chattered  and  laughed,  Solomon 
Stood  surveying  them  with  a  beamig    mUeX 
mmat^g  all  his  dark  but  expressive  features ;  and 
all  the  fame  he  kept  whispering  to  himself  words 
e.press.ve  of  his  feelings  on  "dat  ar  casium." 
buddenly  aU  this  was  interrupted 
It  was^Jate.    All  was  still..   AU  the  other  boys 
seemed  to  have  gone  to  bed.     Outside,  the  ni^ht 
'was  qu>to  dark.    And  then  and  there,  amid    hat 
st..ne^in..atdarknes^^g„„;,,;^r 

dtmtn'th  ""r'  ""'"'  -^^^-^d  e  hont 
dismally  throughout  the  gloomy  extent  of  the  long 

unfimshed  garret,  and  dying  away  in  the  tr  dt 
tances  w.th  low  and  melancholy  intonations,    nt 

Z7;iiT  ?'"^*' "  *''**  *«^  -""i '"-  '^ 

wot thurr...  r^^  out,  Solomon  stertod.    H^ 
^ttofraomentlifting  a  plato,  and  fhp  plate  feU 
from_h.s  nerveless  hands -crashing  on  the  floor. 
H.8  face  seemed  to  turn  to  a  sickly  greenish- 


^, 


I- 


',*%, 


II. 


^^,. 


'    /' 

W 


Si 


Itire. 


W8  knock  at  the  door: 

tered,  h,3  ej^es  roUec&ar. 
floor,  and  remained  £^e  ' 


»»     z^r^yti  ty°^Te.  ■ — -^"  *4flM:e 

%    ^'"^itho  mitter?     Get';      f *"°' Solom* 

■^^^.9^^«'%adrinkV«^er^'m''  ^""  '^'"^ 
k   ,%mattj»>"       ,   i^    ^'^^^''-     Why,  man,  what'l' 

%ifrT'«^''*  ''^^™«eV  words    q„,  '^'■ 

■»afr  effort,  and  ^ot  up  ed  J„   '         ""^  ""^o  »     ' 
-TBSvg  as  far  from  fc  door  a,  f    ^  Z"^  ^^^'^  «>o 
.     -Tfoonehadcomat      .'J'™    '^^"'•v' 
, ■•  tte  door,  and  opCd  t '    N^b  d"  ^'"'"  '^^"'  *« 
V.  A«  he  etoodjwonderin/??""^:^  T  '^'''-  ' 
V  Jiggins  made  bhZt  ^^""  '  ''''»'  "P^ned,    ' 
.,i_,i»to.te  of  the  night      '*"''  *<*  '"ihe  habii:... 

S     ';^'!°''''«f6:'"8'»8aidArthnr   «n-j 
k"Me7    Knock?    Jfe'w!"      J''^'"*""*?"     - 
^  was  just  in  bed  »n-i      t  •f'gg'ns.    « I 

howl  above;  and  then  th!'"'  "'"'  ^^''^d  'ha 
thought  it  w;s  yon  wLi     ?  '^""  "'*■'»*•   ' 
"No.-  -one  ofns»f,!°  »-■"«•". 
Somebody  did  tl^PF 

^•A^d^mein;tnocfced\t^onr'do„r,too,.. 


»er  boys  were  out  in  the  haU, 


bei 


,'1I» 


'«• 


.# 


■  V, 


rfe: 


*ffE  AjLABM. 


251 


.        ""^^d  by  a  stone  thr!^°'*/°"'^.  '"'--been  pTf 
seen  Solomon,  afi-aM  *    ?'    ^'"'"^  T<"n  miffht  "h. 

■-,t-%to;e^ltt:r^^^''«'''-''<'-SV': 

■^t  8  queer."  aa,-r?  a  xt  -    •     ' 

"I   r?nn'*    1-,      ^^^^  Arthur.  >  V.^ 

"Well,  boys,"  said  Bart,"  shall  ^ 
„ I  -PPose  we  may  as  Ve,l  "   ^"^  "? "S^^" ?" 
.      ",  Its  no  use,"  saH  i  .^' 
'"S  »ore.    Still,    fiis  fe,tk-     •    "^''^™'«  "oth. 
gated."    .  """^  "-eht  to  be  invesfr 

Let's  go,  then."  •   ' 

^gfl  'posed    to„sL   ela^*'  P°'«  »*'-«tod 
^Pted  ole  darl#l'##.^*'^s-;;,  Don't   leab   a 

; Nonsensefllt  ""dE ^"'"'°'«^'-''' 
^™t  here  t£|we  come  Uk^' "  '•  ""^  ■^f'"-    ^ou 
Couldn't-  f     n        .    '*^^-    -  b    'M  .^, 

^^W«bS»r'.«<"<'-n.«^'* 

f-;,.»«.Wtleahao,e:»J.^.    ,    ' 
./'A«"-gH"saidBL.    „„,    \  *f        -    / 


At  that  instanipLi! 
from  the,.g.reat  bell'^ 


_     mmmMM 


"i  I  LUi*.« 


252         j/he  boys  op  grand  pr6  school. 

gle  toll  but  80  profound,  so  Xful,  and  so  solemn, 
did  that  solitary  knell  peal  forth  through  the  still 
night  air,  that  even  those  who  felt  no  fear  could 
not  avoid  an  involuptary  sensation  of  awe 

Solomon  clutched  at  Bart's  arm,  and  looked  as 
though  he  had  no  life  left  in  him 

<'  That  settles  it "  said  Bart.  «  That's  a  little  too 
much,  boys.  We'll  have  to  wind  this  thing  up 
""7r'i7^^    Bring  along  a  light,  Phil."  ^ 

0,  Mas'r  Bart  I  get  me  home,"  groaned  Solo- 
mon.  I  member  you  when  you  wor  a  chile  I 
used  to  give  you  candy.  Don  let  me  be  gob- 
bled  up."  ,  ^  "^ 

'     J  Nonsense  1  Solomon.    Come  along ;  I'll  see  yof 
■  safe  do^,  and  then  you  can  run  for  it  to  your 

room.     Wait  a  minute,  boys." 
Down  went  Bart,  with  Solomon,  shuddering  and 

quaking,  at  his -heels,  and  finally  reached  the  door. 

i     Now,  then,  Solomon,"  he  said,  "  run  for  it  " 

Away  went  Solomon,  in  a  frenzy  of  fear,  his 
whole  frame  shuddering  in  vague   superstiJious 
terror,  his  brain  reeling  with  excitement,  his  fancy  ' 
crowded  with  images,  of  horror.     Away  he  ^ent ; 
he  burst  into  the  boarding-house,  he  raced  up  the  ' 
steirs,  ^e  rjished  into  hiiroom  as  before,  banged 
all  the  furniture  against  the  door,  and  lay  crouched 
m  a  comer,  and  quaking  tiU  morning. 
Bairt  returned  at  once.  ^ 

^^s,^  ^d  Jiggins,  «it^  a  solemn' 


deeply  soleno^  time  ! " 


le  —  a 


)ked 


^8 


ttle  too 
ing  up 

d  Solo- 
lile.  I 
e  gob- 

ee  you 
5  your 


agand 
)  door. 
t." 

iT,  his 
titious 
fancy 
^ent ;  \ 
ip  the  ' 
mged 
iched 


v\ 


>  —  a 


THE  SEARCH. 


a 


253 


"Won't  yon  come  tip,  Jig^i^3  7,, 
No,  boys,"  said  Jigging  •  «  .^^  y 

*^  go  up.    That's  a  s.W  ilace      a  7'^  ^°^  '^^^ 
place."  P^^^®  T  «■  deeply  solemn 

-V'slZr''"''^^^^«*^^-^thesoIem. 

Jiggins  shook  his  head. 
1  don't  like  the  looks  of  if  "  o.-a  v       v-' 
^      solemn.     There's  a  c«rfr-        '       '^^^'    '^  It's  too 
n^akes  me  feel  a  1  ITnd  0^'*'"^  ^'°"*  ^*  ^^-t 
SOLEMNITY  — that  — a— V    ^"""^  '^^^''^®  ^^a- 

cou^d  finish  whaAe  wrtj^ltr     ^'""  '' 

The  object  of  the  bovs  in  L-     ^" 
fi'st,  to  find  the  cause  of  thlV^^  "P  '""'  ''^> 
to  find  the  cause  of  t^e'to»  l^lf '  r^  "^ '"^'^' 
that  perhaps  some  oue  miX  h»  ?  ""'"S'"' 

«itic,  and  so  Jbey  looLd  !k  .  """^^^'^d  in  the 
all  directions  Tom  std  llT  T'  ''"«''""y  ■■> 
Btoirs,  so  as  to  bith^wav  /  '  ^"'^  "'  '^'  -^"'o 
«ve.  ,%e  othereL  Aen  J^J  ,^  ^^  ?"««!"«  ftgi- 
carefuUy,  begin^l T  *"  "'''"'  ^^^  a"io  most 

and  so  on  over  Mte?  ^""^  "'^'  ^"^'^  '•««», 
Or*ng  this,  tZsllTu  '""^''  *•'«  ""P* 
end.    They  pee^d  ZZ         '^'  ".'"'  *<■«  farther 
they  left  notUnSo^irr^  "•"*  ""<'  ~"'-- 

w_ere  ibrced  -toSn^T^-""\^'  '^  W 
o«„M  u.  ^_      ,     s""  T>F1Bi8  search    a  MtZT^ 


P<"^4befou;.d.   ^nXTtrt'  ''°' **^^ 
-''-e,b,  the  open  s&ttr%5 


I 


IV;    '- 


t  . 


':w 


^. 


254     .       tHS  BOYS  OF  0BA#?K?00i:^ 


«' 


looM'down  inW  the  gloomy,  yawning  chasm  over 
wh#^went  the  narrow  plank  pathway,  and'ttedT 
^o„gh  «.o  deep  gloom ^f  this^la^e.*™'  *° 
/l^  .t   '"'!^«i^'''  *"•  ^"^-^  «•»«.  they  creased* 

of 'lw^'"''f  ^'";!'  "  "'  ""*  ««'  «t  'ho  bottom 
of  that  knock;  thatVevidentT  but  we  oughtn'tto 
go  tJl  we  find  out  abottt  the  bell.  What^db  yJn 
W  to  goin^up?,"  ,  ■•aoyou 

thi,I:;j^"'*^^'^^™-'- ;'-'^™  oan-t  take 

"  Of  course  not ;  and  ^  if  we  did;  the  wiid 
would  blow  them  out.,.  But  i  don't  mL  any  iif 
fe^nce  about  tlfc    ^,„  f,^^^^    j^^  /J; 

If  any  one's  m  th^lupola,  we'll  .have  him,  and  M" 
outwhoheis." /-^^  1.  -."wma 

'ff"  P"' the  la.^  the  plan  Acre '"sal  Tom" 
"and  It  will  throw  some  light  np  "Ja.*"      °      > 
I"  No,"  said  Arthur^  "it  ggh^^shaken  ofi;. 

tef  nf  °  f""'  Y  *"  '^'  ol  J|d-ny.  'in  a^quar' 
ter  of  «n,ho„,  thati.oId  tind^B^i^elow  wonfi  be 
«  flWs.    Put  it  over  ther^H,n  the  floor.    Never 

BRnd  whether  it  throws  up  any  light  or  not.     We 

^can  all  go  ui»  m  the  dark  just  as  well." 

■Tom  thereupon  put  his  lamp  on  the  solid  floor 

willed  ^t^'"'^'"*^^  ^'^  ^o  ^hole  party 
walked  theplank,  and  reached  the  foot  of  the  J 


.■4.. 


M 


f 


.^^^    __^_        ^^u:  ^-  — H  viuj/uiat    ^noro  were  two 
of  these  and  in  clmibing  up,  one  had  to  work  his 


I 
"'1  / 

0i 


[in  over  a. 
tried  to 

^roajsa^' 
re  herj^ 

« 

bottom  ^ 
itn^t  to^ 
lo  you 

t  take 


wi 
»y  dif- 
know. 

1  find 


To 


1  off, 
juar- 
d  be 
ever 
We 

3oor 
arty 
lad- 
two^ 


at  "farrow' boid  from  wrl;"^  "'"'  '^^'oated 
cupola,  my  /en?  r  "^^  "^  •'"■«'"''"°  to  the 
the  cupdla^  ^^^ness,  and  soon  reached 

Bart  was  np  there  first. 

"P,  was  the  grearb^^wtetee?^'/''^^"^- 
were  faraihar  enough  to  Zm  f'^'  f'"""  tones 
which  it  hourly  sent  wfr""  *''«  '""""ons 
whose  soIitJffC  sll"""'  .'^™  «»«.  but 
the  stillness  of  tie  niX  .  7  "^  "  '^««'y  d-'d  m 
awe  into  th.ir  Itrts"^   An"'  ''"'f  ^"*  ""d^e- 
"•on,  enough  to  wtlfc  and  f  T°"J"'  *"  ''«"  '^as 
dows  of  the  cupol  '""''  •""  "^  '''o  win- 

watd  rlT^t  tVi/f  '"''  -'  ""^  "'o- 

wdone.  TheIr:tit;iT:;-''^'-«"»  • 


I    I 


* 


^ 


1                                                 \ 

#7 

i              \ 

h 


i\ 


256 


rHE  boys/ OP  GRAND  PBfe  SCHOOL. 


"  Well,?  said  ^hil,  "  what's  the  luck  ?  '> 
"  There's  no  ^ne  here,"  said  Bart. 
"  Have  lyou/felj/;  Everywhere  ?  " 
"  Yes." 

"  He  cojildn't  get  up  above  there  ^  could  he  i  " 

"  O/no.' 

"  Perhatts  h^s  outside,"  said  Arthur. 

At  this  ijug^estion  they  all  flung  open  the  shutr 
ters  which  surt-ounded  the  cupola,  and  as  it  wjas 
too  dark  toLe^,  they  felt  in  all  directions  with  th^ir 
hands.  ThjBy/  soon  found,  however,  that  no  oi^Q 
was  there. 

"N^X^id  Phil,  "the  question  is,  how  lU  tile 
WQrld^ouwmhat  bell  have  tolled  ?  " 

All  were  fii}e.nt  for  a  few  minutes,  trying  to  con- 
jecture some  posmble  way. 

It  will  belseen  that  on  this  occasion  Bruce  ha 
not  a  vestig^  of  his  -former  superstitious  feelin 
The  afl!air  with  the  donkey  had  taught  him  a  sal 
tary  lesson,  sjnd  the  discovery  that  Bart  had  madi 
when  communicated  to  him,  had  made  him  angry 
with  himself  for  the  fear  which  he  had  felt  beforl 
He  was  perfectly  convinced  now  that  there  wati 
some  trick,  which  was  the  only  cause  of  the  knock 
and  the  toll  if  the  bell,  and  this  he  tried  to  dis- 
cover. I 

Suddenly  h^  stooped  down  and  felt  under  the 


btell. 

/— ^ 


m 


"  Btiye/^  saw  he,  after  a  pauser 
"Well" 


/, 


'A  4 


THE  DISCOVERY. 


257 


.  ^I>o  yon  think  a  fellow  cduld  ring  the  beU  with- 
out coming  uii  into  the  cupola,  by  some  very  sim- 
pie  process?  Do  you  think  a  string  tied  to  the 
tongue  could  do  itt" 

"  What  1 "  cried  all,  fn  great  excitement^;  ai^d  all 
of  them  spr^ig^orward  to  feel  for  themselves. 

But  Bruce>rarded  off  their  hands. 

"  Wait,"  said^he.    «  The  string's  here.    Stand 
back.    I  want  to  see  where  it  goes  to." 

The  bojs  fell  back  now  in  greater  excitemenij 
than  €ver.    1^  i.8teingC;wras  a-common  piece  of  r 
twine.    Bruce  fbUowed  it,  and  found  that  it  weftf 
across  to  the  side  c^^the  cupola,  facing  their  end  of 
the  building,  a^d  tiiei?  it  was  passed  through  a 
crevice  close  to  t%  fl^or,  and  passed  outside.         r 

But  where?  /       ^  ^  , 

Bruce  pulled  the/strihg,    The  other  ^d  wa^ 
fastened ;  but  by  the  resistance  he  could  teU  that^ 
it  ran  for  a  long  d^statioe.  V- 

"There's  only  one  .plaee  that  it  goes  to,  of'/   > 
course,"  said  B^Tt,  "ani  t^:i8  Pat's  room.    But^    ' 
why  m  the  world  he  shoid  p  up  this,  passes  my 
comprehensidn.    We'll  havTio  teaoh  him  a  lesson, 


b/2^s. 


17 


;:j^4 


fill 


T". 


258 


THE 'boys  op  GBAND  PB6  SCHOOL. 


'•^■^^  ■ :  y 


^ 


XIX. 

A  puzzling  Position.  -  How  to  meet  the  Emlgen^, 
~  A  strange  Suggestion.  ~  Diamond   cut  dL^ 
mond,  or  a  Donlceyin  a  Garret.- Surprise  of 
J^gms  on  seeing  the  Stranger.  -  TJw  fated  Mo- 
m.nt  com^       The  Donkey  confronts  the  Garret 

\-^o%ses.  —  ThePowerof  aBray.      -^ 


denly 

moment,  as  thougi*  to  assure  himself  of  the  fact 
«and  then  gave  it  a  suddfen  pull.  ,^ 

\  It  yielded  I  *     '         * 

The  whole  string  was  in  his  hands. '     '      *  ^' 
Bruce  ^11  down  'on.  the   floor,  and  hh  whole 
IramQ  shook  with  smothered  laughter 

ir5»  .^°  l^t  ^°^^^«   *^«   matter' Withiroi,.  ' 


Bruce?"  cHed  Bart. 


W^ 


u 


tl 


The  string]  ha,  ha,  ha,  ha,  ha  I    Thfisitd 


ha,  ha  I— The  siring! 


» 


); 


xf 


« 


^p^togtWelV^hat  about  fe-^trw^ 


^y;I've^ot  it.   I  felt  it 


grow'tight,^ha, 


.  p 


)  .: 


*■ 


^ 


urgency. 

mse  of 

ted  Mo- 

Garret 


r  some 
>  satis- 
^  6ud- 
1  for  a 
B  fact 


wholes 


POSTPONEMENT. 


■   *#i 


259 


r' 


.    ha   ha! -and  I  gave  it  a  jerk,  -  ha,  ha,  hal  — 

and  It  came, -ha,  lia,  ha,  ha  I -and  now  Pat's 

'   ^^onderl^g  what's  become  ofit,  —  ha,  ha,  ha,  ha  1  — 

and  he's  thinking  that  the  ghost  he  was  shamminff 

-must  be  a  real  one,  after  all!" 

•Either   Bruce's    laughter   was    contagious,    or 
else   the   boys  saw  something   irresistibly  funny 
in  Pat's. supposed   consternation    at    losing   the 
sthng-  but  whatever  was  the   cause,  the   boys 
burst  forth -also  into  fits  of  laughter,  which,  how- 
#yer,iliey^|ried  to  pmother  as  well'as  they  could 
■^    |"d  no%^;the'questi9p  was— what  to  do. 
At  ,^rst   they  were    going   to   take  the  string 
,  but  they  finally  decided  to  leave  it  Just  as 
s,  80  as  to  see  what  Pat  would  do  uiider  the 
circumstances. 

"After  coming  to  this  conclusion, #ey  decided 
t^go^to  bed  for  the  night,  and  def^Tr!  any  furthef   » 
consideration  of  the  subject  till  the  following  day 
'   when  .they  would  fbel  fresher  and  less  fatigued!  - 
fep^tjfey  descended  once  Aiore,  arid,  separated  for 
th». night.-;    .,,  "^   • 

,  vThe  next  morning  they  foT^il  ,the  ^citement 

£t-eater  than  eyer.     All  who  were  ^^   l«ie   main . 
.building  had  heard  th^  noises  of  th&  nfght,  and 

w^e  m  the  bq^rding-house  had  heard- the  tolf  dft^;  . 

the   bell.^     Jiggins  was  sad  and  exceedingly  ^1- 
-4"?S-.^SQg:"d,yent,^abf>ut  aa^ng   tl^at  none   of  ^ 

them  could  tejl  what  might  Stpen^-  whicji  1^. 

guagejnight  be   taken  to  signify  al  unidomftble 


2S0 


f 


,JHB  BOYS   OF  OEAND  Pflt  SCHOOL. 


traism;  or,  on  the  other  hand,  it  might  be  consid 

ered  as  a  suggestion  of  the  existence  of  s!«e"    o 

found,  gloomy, 'and  inscrutable  mystery     Bo^ud 

■     rathw  preferred  that  it  should  be  t„Z'       T 

.,.   light.   Muckle,  Johnny,  «~a      MI  mackl^ 

V  announced   tBat   they   thought  there   waTsom" 

Business.  Pat  was  as  usual,  only  a  ]iti\e  inore  so 
He  was  acfve  in  all  kinds  of  hints,  fffrefuse^' 
toteilks  own  experience  of  the  night  but  su^ 
gested  Bomethine  erand    „i^,..         ",'  ^' 

He  lonkp,!  fti,  ^  ?     '   ^'°°'"y'  and   peculiar. 

Wm  abou?  tt"  °"^T■•°r'">«'^  none  to  question 
flun  about  the  secrets  of  his  prisonhousS.     He 

expressed  a  mournful  resignation  to  that  hard  fate 

TetfofTh: '""  ?"  r'''"'  "^  ^"^  f-*'  0  n 

tion  ffll  +1;    ;      .?     ,  ^     ""  ^'""^  ^"°^  accommoda- 
tion  till  the  trouble  should  cease.     Also  Pat  hnd 

«y.    If  he  had  felt  any  consteZtion  at  having 
the  str.ng  jerked  from  his  hands,  he  had  no  doubt 

g.t^mpletelyover,it,and  probl^bly  attributed 't 
to  somo  ordinary  .cimfla^-^..-^    v»-       -^ Jl Z-ll 


t/i  fl>««^      J-  -  '  "^       prooaDiy  attributed  it 

r^a?Z.   ^'^'""'•^  "°°°'  '"'^  ■J'g^^W  irom  tto 


THE  NEW  TERM. 


261 


■•*.. 


Pat's  demeanor  was  such  that  the  boys  sa%v  his 
evident  determination  to  keep  up  the  excitement 
He  went  about  as  before  among  the  small  boys 
he,ghte„,„g  their  fears,  and  gfving  any  „«„ber  of 
dark  suggestions  to  their  excited  imagWtions 
.    ^.f^'  ^"'l  •'■f g;»^.  »d  Sammy,  and  Johl^  and ' 
Bdlymack   and  Mucklo  also  sought  Pat's  society, 
and  left   It  more   confirmed    than   ever  in  their 
opm.ons.     J,ggi„s  „as  more  than  ever  convinced 
that  ,t  was  a  deeply  solemn  season.     In  fact  he 
kep  saymg  so  to  everybody  all  day  Irfig.  ? 
-      lhe_  teachers  could  not  he  ignorant  of  the  ex- 
e.tement    hut  they  took   no  notice  of  it.     They 
t^wught  ,t  w^s  some  harmless  trick  of  some  of  the 
more  mmch,ev«„s  boy*;  which  did  not  clTfor  their 
'    '"t«"e.»fon  as  yet,  but  would  probably  be,re- 
vealed  .n  the  natural  course  ,rf  'things.     So  the 
boys  were  all  left  to  themselves. 

At  nine  o'clock  the  schooJ  was  onco  morB 
opened,  after  so  many  delays,  and  the  dufe  o7  he 
new  term  commenced.  ■  „  "■  "'e 

\  ^"'..the  first  dajrofa  new 'term  I"  What' a  ' 
horro  It.  brings  to  the  li^prt  of  a  boy  1  F^ Ih- 
from  the  green  fields,  from  i.  blue  skf,  r&  t,  « 

shore,  tlie  lofty  precipice,  the  bounding  wave^ 

r>   r     °°"°""""""'  "f  the  school-room.    Can  ■* 
thefe  be  any  wonder  that  the  frysh,  young,  boyish 
heart  should  quail,  and,.hi,  bounding  yoin^'^t  ., 


262 


THE  BOYS  OF  GBAND  PR6  SCHOOL. 


droop,  and   his   uproarious .  spirks    flag  on   that 
dreary  first  day  ?     Where  M  his^  life,  in  which  of 
kte  he  so  exulted  ?    Where  is  that  grand  face  of 
Mother  Nature,  so  dear  to  evfery  boy  ?    Where  are 
the   odor  of  the   fields,  the   balsamic   air  of  the 
lorest,   the   invigorating  smell   of   the   salt   s&a  '> 
Ihese  are  the  loved  memories  that  afflict  him  at 
his  dmgy  desk.     The  first  day  at  school  for  a  boy 
IS  homesickness  in  its  broadest  sense.   I  don't  think 
anybody  can  be  so  homesick  as  a  boy  may  be:  nor 
can  a  boy  at  any  other  timo  be  so  homeeict  as  at 
8uch  a  time  as  this^  Homesickness,  moreover,  is 
not  merely  a  pining  fcr  one^  actual  home,  but  it 
IS  also  a  yearning  for  ^leasur^s  that  have  fled  ~ 
some  lost  grace  of  life, -some  sweet  charm  which 
lias  passed  away.  '«;/ 

Now  none  of  our  boy^Vere  at  all  inclined  to  " 
what  they  called  "spopniness  ;"  but  still  they  could 

not  help  feeling  the  common  evil  of  boy  humanity.   • 
1  he  school  hours  passed  slowly  and  heavily,  and 
they  tried  to  cheer  themselves  with  the  thought 
that  It  would  not  be  so  unpleasant  in  a  few  days, 
atter  they  had  become  used  to  it.        ' 

After  school  was  over,  the  "  B.  O.  W.  C."  engaged 
in  an  earnest  discussion  over  the  situation.     One 
common  resolution  wa«  in  all  th^if  minds,  and  that 
was,  to  put  an  end  to  the  ghost  in  the  garret.    But  A 
how  was  it  tp  be  dftne  ?  ' 


about  It/'  said  Tom. 


"-    •'*' 


M 


TROUBLE  FOR  PAt. 


26a.* 


»? 


Yes,"  said  Bart,  "  but  that  would  be  too 
clumsy.  What  I  want  is  something  more  artistic  :  ^ 
1  -Avan^  a  dramatic  close,  in  which  there  shall  1b  a 
.c^.e  full  of  effect.  If '  we  could  only  work  ifso 
as  to  let  the  thing  bring  itself  to  a  conclusion  in 
some^  effective  ..ay,  it  would  be  a  great  deal  more 
satisfactory  to  all  concerned." 

."  I  should  like  some  way,"  said  Bruce,  «ia  which 
m  wodld  be  conscious  that  he  was  completely 
iised  tip ;  and  I  think  that  among  us  five  we  might 
arrange  a  countWplot  against  his  plot."  )      ' 

"Pat  eertaihly  deserves  some  sort  of  ptnish- 
ment  for  the  way  he  has  been  frightening  the 
email  boys.  Fo  ha^  been  at  it  all  day  ;  I  dare  say 
hes  at  it  now.  Of  course  before  dark  he'll  '  -. 
sneak  up  and  fasten  his  string  to  the  tongue  of  the  « 
bell  again,  so  as  to  get  all  .r^dy  for  the  night's 
operations."  ^ 

"  Fe  Oan -easily  firid  stoo  way,  I  should  "think  " 
said  Arthur,  ^  of  pairing  off  Pa^  without  bein^ 
cruel  m  anyway  to  him.    A  smart  shock,  adminis-     -V 
tered  ddicately%nd  neatly,  would  about  suit  my 
idea  of  the  casQu",  /  

I-nt^''  ^,"i  ^^"^  ""^^  "^^  ^^^  somethipg  which      ' 
mil  be  mild,- yet  smart, -^ delicate,  yet  effective? 
That^s  the  .point  ivhioh  we  don^t    seem  able  to         - 

As  flie 


B^  talked  ia  ^bj^^^way- 


m^  up  the  hill  towards  tho  old  Fren^t  orchard: 
A*#ey  nearea  ,thr.p%p,  B^'e  eyea  wandered^ 


264 


\ 


THE  BOYS  OP  GRAND  PRfi  SCHOOL, 


^^^      share  in  t^  expenences  oHho  past  feV 

^Ihave  it  I  "he  cried,  suddenly.        ." 

"  What  ?"  asked  they.  ^ 

"  The  .donkey  I " 

"  What  about  it  ?  •' 

"  He  shall  help  us  "  ^ 

"  How  ?  " 

"The  donkey's  our  plan.     We'll  r.!...  k-        ^ 

against  the   ghost,  and  Pa   1      Tl     ^l^."^  ^^ 

,  once  a  ghost  Lseif.H^^'L^^   ''"''^  "^« 

the  thing  up  pronerlv  •  w  ?!   ^  "^^'^^  one  to  do 

be,"  saWPhr  """'  ^""'^  "'^  '^™'^^^'«  going  to 
said  ArthT"'  """'.  "P  "'"'  '0  S^*  frightened -.^ 

garret-? "  °""^<*"ig  the  donkey  up  into  the 

"What?"  .     ,        « 


/ 


^M 


Ibvoti 


ing  lum  up  into  the  garret." 


VA 


T 


265 


-  /  THE  DONKEY.'  '    : 

•  J     -  '         ^  "  i 

.T/bebojsIooI^ed  puzzled. 

"Canyou  gef  himup?" 

"Of  course  v^e^ can."  . 

going  up.     We  couldn't  keep  it  secret." 
/    0,ye9,  we 'conld.     We  conld  fix  him  so  th»i  ho 

/W    Ab.sket„r2SoS„r^^""-'"«- 

agnincent  thing  ever  undertalwn  on  this   hill 
Besides,  how  splendid  it  would  hL  fe \ 

end-in  a  roar  of  QLer  "     '"'"'  """  ''  """"^  "« 

" f wont!" \":  *'"""^'"  ''^ •'"  "^"'"imed  Phil. 

i-ats  side,  ofcourse,"  said  Bruce, 
duty"    *"*'     ""'^   '^""'  """'^  ""■  "'''«'"  do  his 
"0,  we'U  have  to  keep  him  up  to  it    Donkey's 


^/ 


/^ 


■1^' 


\. 


206 


IHE  BOra  OP  GBAHD  Pe6  SCHOOL. 


^ 


that  can  bray,  and  won't  bray,  „n.t  b,  n,ade  to 
"tW  tI'Tk  r*"  "'"""''''  ''™*«-"  «»«1  Arthur 

wlLI"  sa"  ?hil'  ,"''"'  °''  "  '""''  ^"^"^  -»* 
"No,"  said  Bart;  "„o  beaking  if  wTJari-h^ln  v 

w^a'Ir^':,^'°«"-Wp:l^^^^^^^^^^ 

sohooTdays    lo'T    "  "«^""*  "  '-  'ny  early 
say^:-    ^  '    '"'^'=   ''^"'^■"be'-  what  Pope 


'  If  I  had  a  donkey, 

And  he  wouldn't  go, 

D'yetMak  I'd  wallop  him? 
r  No,  no,  Dio.' 

On  the  contrary,  I  would  endeavor,  if  possiUo   f. 
secure  his  cooperation  with  our  plans  bv  fh  I, 

-thod  of  .oral  suasion-- oat^a^:^^^^^^^ 

•"  Or  a  good  fat  thistle." 

"  Or  a  handful  of  sorrel.^'      i 

'•  Or  a  cold  boiled  tu1»nip."  ^'       ' 

'*  Or  some  delicate  chickweed  " 

ao..eypr:;rjHrX:-r'°?"-""^« 

-    fa  the  conrae  of  the  evening  ^.,-„„.  ..■ _     ' 

p.  spared.     A  nun^ber  of  bits  7oW  c.:;tr:Uh 


J?*""* 


lit iiiiM 


A 


THE  DONKEY   UP  STAIRS. 


267 


some   cord  were'  most  conspicuous  among  these 
preparations.  ^ 

Their  plan  was  based  on  the  supposition  that 
Pat  had  not  heard  this  donkey  bray,  and  was,  per- 
haps,  unaware  of  its  existence  here.  They  were 
quite  sure  that,  he  had  not  been  u^  near  the  pas- 
ture field  since  the  don).ey  came,  and  so  he  was 
probably  unawaVof  its  presence.  Consequently 
when  Pat  began  his  little  tricks  to-night,  he  would 
find  a  startling  cooperator.  > 

Jfee  boys  waited  till  all  were  in  bed,  ^  then 
brought  down  the  donkey.  They  ha^  bT^littl^ 
trouble  mjeading  him  along.  Tiiey  took*}>im  into 
a  grove  m  front  of  thi  Academy,  and  there  tied  bits 
of  carpet  around  each  foot.  /  * 

Then  began  their  efforts  to  get  hii  up^stos.' 

Here  was  where  they  anticipated  failure.     But  to 

their  surprise  this  was  accomplished  without  any 

very  great  c^fficulty.     The  little  animal,  t6m»tbd 

by  ,^mip^eld  in  front  of  his  nose,  encouraJfelby 

strokvigs   and   pulled  and  push64  along,  ^de  \ ' 

rush  up  th.  first  flight.     He  weni'.p  as^nimbly  as 

a  goat,  and  didn't  to^ke  more  noise  than  six  men 

pounding  up  ^th;  all   their    might,  ^e  noi^e 

certainly  exceeded  all  thdt  they  hi 

upon.  H        ^  s 

Then  came  the  second  flight.     The  d( 
up  triumphantly ;  hut  by  tho  t^mo  lie  i 


) 


top  he   had   lost  three  vf  the  four  banu™« 
which  his  feet  were  tied.    Here  they  heard  a  | 


-V 


V. 


2G8 


THE  BOYS   OF  GRAND   Plli:  SCHOOL. 


■|^  What's  all  that?    Who's  there?" 
bJ!';::^;'-    ^^'«-^-o.^.  student,-  said 

Bogud's  door  closed  again. 
They  then  led  the  donkev'on      Rnf  •    1 
reached  Jji^ns's  door  if  .  '^"'^  ^^  *^®3^ 

■      f-t^^  ^n  JK  ho  ^n^  1     'T''  '"^  ••^^gg-«  put 
at  thei^BhL  u       ^  ?"^^^  «"^'  ^«d  blinking 

^      front  ^Whe  Ih^^^^^^^^^         «^1^  --^-tel,  if 
W  p  „   ^W  !  ,^^y  companion  of  the  «  B.  O 

a  point  near  where  Pat's  room  was      " 
*  ^l^oving  him  here,  they  then  retired. 


-V 


8  voice 


'"  said 


18  they 
ns  put 
inking 
;elj  in 

'  B.  a 

jnized 


aking 


and 
ider^ 

3nt, 


THE  DONKEY  MEDITATES. 


jj 


'2G9 


all  separated,  and'  went 


:e 


The  "  B.  O.  W.  C 
bed. 

No^;  Pat,  in  his  room  at  tho  end  nf  ...    i  I 
garret,  had  heard  the  raeket  tdr'/tL  don4 

and<erah.tp:ft:::^-^-.eea.d,^ 

But  Pat  did  not  quake,  or  shiver- not  he 

.went  to   the  window  nf  »,•  V*     ^^®»  ^^ 

-n.   Which  erilXTo^id.^""^ 

and  awfunntona^nl  '^'  "'^"  ^""^  ^  S'-o-'y 
little  boys,  Jro  Sd  TtT"l  *'T'  *"  "^"y  P"" 
Btitious  fear.  "  ""l^  1""'^^''  with  super- 

?V™^''^  ■'^'i  finished  his  turnip  I 
.sit5io:,'"'"""*°"''«'"»*''^P«t,ofhis 

lit  sl^^toT"";   ^'  P'^''^^*  picture,  no  star. 
HI  sKy_  nothing  but  utter  darknaso     TtI  fi.i* 
comfortable.    He  »tn.d  fi,J*        ''•    ^^  '^"  °°- 


V  . 


aad  he  been  m  some  comfortable  stall,  or  some 


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23  WfST  MAIN  STREET 

WEBSTER,  N.Y.  14980 

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,  -  w-v-'vi',. 

270 


THE  BOYS  OP  GRAND  PB6  SCHOOL. 


sequestered  pasture,  he  might  have  lain  down  and 
slept  the  sleep  of  the  donkey.  But  he  had  been 
badgered  and  ^dbceived,  and  such  a  getting  up 
stairs  he  never  had  seen. 

And  now,  in  the  midst  of  these  reflections,  there 
came  this  uproar  of  shrieks  and  tolling  bells  It 
was  too  much.  It  was  not  at  aU  what  he  was  ac- 
customed  io. 

So  he  proceeded  to  enter  a  protest  against  the 
whole  business. 
The  donkey  raised  his  head^ 
He  elevated  his  tail  1    "; 

He  spread  his  legs  apUrt  so  as  to  gain  a  firmer 
attitude ! 

Then  he  burst  forth  :  — 

Hel  Iiaw!    Eel    Haw! 

Heeeeee  !    Haodoaaw  I 

He!  haw!    He!  haw! 

He  haaaaaaaaaw  ! 

Heeeeeeeeeee  ! 

Haaaaaaaaaaaaw  ! 

He^ee  !    Haaaww  I 

HEHAAAAWlfl 

The  noise  of  that  terrific  bray,  as  it  sounded 
out,  burst  forth  close  by  Pat.  He  was  o^one  side 
of  the  partition.  The  donkey  was  on  the  other.  He 
was  just  about  seizing  the  cord  so  as  to  give 
another  pull  to  the  tongue  of  the  bell,  when  there 
^^ihis  unexpected,  this  tremendous  interrupt 
*'""  -Whether  Pat  had  ever  heard  the  bray  of  a 


^' 


pat's  terbob. 


27 


•J 

donkey  before  mattered  not  at  that  moment.  He 
certamly  had  never  before  heard  i  donkey,  and  an 
.njnred  donkey  too,  at  midnight,  in  a  gar^t,  close 

and  80  deafenmgly,  Buch  ac^nmnlated  woes. 
Had  a  cannon  suddenly  exploded  close  by  Pat's 

wheZed'  """  ''"'  ■  ^^^  ""^  °««riy  over. 

aly.ed.  Then  he  jamped/at  the  door.  He  torf  it 
open.  He  leaped  down  the  stairs.  Bart's  room 
was  at  the  bottom.  He  opened  the  door;  bnrst  in, 
and  banged  ,t,  and  locked  it  behind  him. 

Th4n  he  stood  against  the  door,  making  the 
pressure  of  his  back  an  additional  barrier  aLnst 
the  entrance  of  any  pursuer. 


A*. 


272 


THE  BOra  OP  OEAND  nt  SCHOOL^ 


^^com^fefe,  andjtnal  Sevdation'qf  the  Cheat 

Z  {  ^'rr—^^  Speech  en  the  Oecasiol- 

c^unt  "'■'  ^"^  "-P  '"  9ive  an  Ao 

f  ALLO  !  "  cried  Bart,  '«i||Ps  roused  by  the 
no.se.  "Who's  that,  put  there?  What's 
the  row?"  '\ 

,.I»Z    '  ^^"you?    Well,  I'd  say  I'm  very' 

glad  to  see  you  only  it  happens  to  be  too  dark  to 
see  anything.     Wai,  Pat,  what's  up?"  ' 

re^hedl"'".V^""""'  ^°'  °"' °^  ''«''. ""d  had 

i^Snstr:™'^''"^"^'"-^""^^^^ 

"  Didn't  ye  hair  it  ?  "  he  said. 

"  Hear  it  ?    Hear  what  ?  " 
^J^ITI"  cried  Pat    "  There's  no  mistake  tfcs 

"  O,  comfe,  Pat,  none  of  that  Bea»ei4ft- Thalr  - 
Jes  very  well  for  the  little  boys ;  but  I  undersS^ 


v\ 


'^ 


I 

i  THE  EXPLANATION.  273 

;  "Didn't  ye  hair  it^ »  cried  P^t     'Hi  r..;  i   v, 

me  head  off  so  it  c\iA      a     /      ,      *  nairlyblew 

"It?    What  It?" 

"  Shure  you  know  what  " 

that  way."  *'"""-"^'"-    ^o"  °««dn't  talk  to  me 
At  this  moment  the  distant  brav  nf  U,„  ^    i. 
^--ded  once  more.     Pat  oIutoheTBt^tfa™"^ 
■.^-frVitisagin.    It'sacoomin.    O.Iknowed 

ing"""  wLih  ?"''  "r"'"^  *'"'  •^°-  --i  '-to. 
"^g.        wny,  that's   on  y  the  brav  nf  o    ^     i 

VouVe  h«a.d  it  often  en V-tCn't  V:"^ 

it's^';ttsrh'e:^t"^-"'^'^'-<'r- "«- 

"  Well,  this  must  be  one." 

To"! Z^"  '"''■  '"'"■''  "'■^  """key  in  a  garret? " 

Bcreeoh  and  the  bell,  and  sent  up  the  donkey  so  a! 

to  give  him  a  mtle  taste  of  iJiatiear  wl'^he  Z 

so  anxious  fn  <r;.r^  *.  _.i  .  ^.  ^^^^  ^®  wa^™ 


-    ■% 


^n^lons  togive  to  otWrrS^^S^'^r 
h.m  a  shook,  he  was  satisfied.    Had  PaIbeenl7S 

lo 


__JJ 


274 


THE  BOTS  OP  GRAND  Fs6   SCHOOL. 


This   t?''f  '"""'  ^^  ""'S""  '«'^«  '«««nt«<l  all 
low,'       ,u"    "  T'  '""'  "^  *'«'  best-natured  fel- 

part  c!e  If"  "°'' '-  '^  '''""^-^  "»*  *'"«   ™«"e«' 
part  c  e  of  resentment.     On  the  contrary,  the  mo. 

ment  the  load  of  horror  was  lifted  off  by  sLrt  s  Z 

closure,  his  buoyant  spirits  rose  at  once   and  'u 

burst  fo,th  to  the  full  swing  of  hi,  joviarmirthfu 

r.d.c„Ious,  reckless  Irish  temperament.  ' 

*aith,  an  it's  me  that's  caught  —  'deed  an  it  i, 

BO,  thin,'-  he  cried,  with  a  burst^of  laughter     "An 

ye  got  the  donkey  up  to  the  garret  I    lure  it  bafes 

but  W  rT'''"'T  ^"O''^-'' I  hair  the  noise 
but  how  cud  I  zv,r  dhrame  it  wor  that.  An  ye  sot 
h.m  j.st  close  fornist  me,  so  ye  did  !  It  wor  fust  "n 
me  own  air  that  he  hooted,  so  it  wor  "  '•'"''"' 
Pat.  now  grew  quite  £ommunicative,  and  told 
Bart  all  about  ,t.    His  motive  for  creating  an  ex 

a    the  other  boys,  who  had  so  often  laugl.fd  af 
h.m.    There  was  no  malice  whatever  in  his  inten- 
t.on ;  no  hmg  at  all  of  the  nature  of  vengefulness 
but  simply  a  mischievous  and  thoughtlefs  iderof 
throwmg  some  ridicule  on  the  boys  genen^ly 
Bart  s  d,scovery  of  the  truth  was  known  to  Sm 
but  he  d.d  not  care  for  that;  he  was  determined  to 
keep  up  h,s  httle  joke  as  long  as  it  could  be  kep^ 

•trmg  had  been  jerked  from  his  hand,  but  after- 
warfs  concluded  that  it  was  the  wind.    The  k2k 
^  the  doora  he  explained  veiy  simply.    He  had  = 


THE  OWL. 


275 


"™P«en  the  beginning  of  it  all? 
It  was  all  explained  on  the  following  mbrning 

objects  of  their  Tlf^     ^^'^  ^°^^  "P^^  t^« 

»4caiX:rthX,,«s^t:^^ 
fouowed  the  ^on,.;t\u-r^:fi:i^z:z 

took  the  owl  down  into  the  kitchen  to  IT  ' 
■neat  for  it  from  Sotoon.  ^"  ""^ 

Meanwhile  Solomon  had  hear,!  nf  ♦!,  i  .■ 

of  the   dark  mysterv    »1  «velation 

.„.•/•    1.-    ",■"•> ^"fy,  and  was  runnns  out  t/> 
satisfy  himself,  when  he  met  Pat  half  ^    '  *" 

di,  V '  K       vl'' """' ' "  ""^-^  °W  Solo-non.    «  What     ' 
d«  heah  scubbry  dat  hab  turn  up  on  di,  smilin«n 

.prions  mom.    Whar's  dat  ar-anrmal  what  hal^ 

ben  hckm  „p  sech  a  'menjous  bobberation  an  ob 


■■>*♦- 


276 


THE  BOVS  OF  GRAND  Pnt   SCHOOL. 


Whose  'sploite  I  hab  heard  so  much  ?    Am  die  heah 

ais  stracted  ole  nigga  man  mos  to  deflF?  " 

oure  an  here  he  is  "  snirl  Pof  i    u-       «        <>-' 
the  bird,  "an  as  fine  aowra^^y^^'S'  r7r' 
yer  eyes  on,  so  he  is."  ^  ^  "^"^  *'"  '''"P 

"Mas'r  Owl,  sah,"  said  he,  rolling  „„  his  eves 
and  spreading  out  his  hands,  _"  Mas'r  Ow    sah 

eahl  — such  a  'mendiqus  honna,  sah  I  "  ' 

He  then  made  another  low  bow  »ft»r  „i,-  i,  i, 
went  on  with  an  attempt  at  more  Ith  ^ta:;!^ 
than  ever,  in  whieh  there  was  also  visibl!  Tr 
of  something  like  indignation  ""^^ 

hn.  speetb.  f  >ntb  ^^hTa  trrrh" 

gIL    .    ;  '"'^  '"'  y""'  ^^t_bein^as  h;   fa 
Gmnpanderdrum,  an  'sides  bein  fessa  ob  de  cod 
and  a,ry  'partment  in  dis  yah  'Cad'my  _  fessa  eah 
Ob  ebba  so  manyyeahs'  stan'in,  sah  -  fr  n  ob  do 
doota,  sah, an  not  a  pus'n  to  be  '^sed  on  sah?   n! 
you  know  what  you  are,  sahJ^ou-^e'rmL'We 
darky,  sah -no  better'n  a  crow   sah  I    nl 
know  what  I'm  „^-„„  .,  .,„  .."',.'*?'■''»:?««,_ 


J-wwhatI^gwin;W^-;,-^B»m^ 


•SOLOMON'S   SPEECH. 


277 


mo- 


g"d  us  he  cets    IT,.'«  ^''^  ""  S'^"  y«  as 

.     a  w„„ud,  fo1:e  can,      '  ""  ""'' ""  ''«  ^-''-M« 

.'bo;t'^s'm^r^r'«°'™^^2'>on'tbe 

take  the  owl ;  "  ^Imre  he  niver  did t-t^f       '" 

"'  all  at  all.     Share  he's  Mis  ht  ^1  ""^ ^""'''^ 

■  owl,  so  he  is,  that's  Vun  a4 1  ten  i;:"  ^-  ""<' 

garret  — an  Pm  tikm  >  •     ,  *^',  "  ^^"  "^^n  m  our 

SIoe'»  doesn't  lib  dZ  hea  rt  d  "  "^^^  ""'^'^ 
>'o«  a  bringin  him  heah  for  '-"  ''^  ''°^^''''-     ^^^^t 

;' Sure  he  ony  wants  his  mate."' 

ae.yahpri.i        p„j:i^^^^^^^^^^^^ 
-e^^r::;i7l!^r^'-n.apaioeav 


sah  "^nff^"  K^  .T' ' "  '"^^  Solomon.  . "  Nebba 
sah.    Bat  ar  bird  hab 'suited  me "  •  ' 

^.A^  he  drew  up  hi,  aged  form  With  pevere 


o^'. 


■I'L     P|ip"' 


278 


THE  BOYS   OP  GRAND   PJ{±  SCHOOL. 


But  Pat  coaxed  and  pleaded,  and  the  end  of  it 
-Avas,  that  Solomon  was  prevailed  on  to  give  him  a 
piece  of  meat.  The  owl  devoured  it  greedily,  a^d 
then  Pat  took  him  away  to  his  owner. 

The  bird,  as  Pat  said,  belonged  to  Mr.  Sloci^m, 
who  lived  about  two  miles  away.    He  had  received 
him  as  a  very  fine  specimen  of  a  screech  owl,  from  a 
sea  captain,  who  had  brought  him  from  abroad,  and 
had  got  tired  of  him.     Mr.  Slocum  happened  to  be 
in  Halifax  at  the  time,  and  brought  thfe  bird  home 
in  triumph  a  few  weeks  before.     During  the  previ- 
ous week  he  had  escaped,  and  had  found  his  way 
through  an  open  window  of  the  cupola  into  the 
garret.     Pat  had  discovered  him  first,  and  as  his  . 
terrific  hoot  sounded  out,  frightening  the  boys^  he 
took  advantage  of  the  circumstance  to  perforin  a 
few  additional   tricks  of  his  own,  with  the  con- 
sequences  that  have  been  narrated.     It  was  only 
on  the  previous  day  that  Pat  had  found  out  who  : 
was    the    owner    of    the    Wandering    bird.     He 
happened  to   hear  people  speaking  of  it  in  the 
village  store  as  he  was  making  some  purchases. 
So,  now  that  the  whole  affair  had  come  to  an  end, 
he  thought  he  might  as  well  jestore  the  lively  bird 
to  its  rightful  owner. 

Meanwhile  the  donkey  had  been  taken  to  his 
pasture,  and  the  boys  returned,  and  school  began, 
and  the  business  of  the  day  soon  engrossed  thei^ 
^WhoTe  attention. 

After  school  Pat  and  the -boys  of  the   "B.  0. 


MMH 


MB.   long's   BEIqUEST. 


279 


W.  C."  received  a  message  from  Mr.  Long,  request^ 
mg  them  to  come  to  his  study.  '  - 

For  the  affair  had  spread,  and  the  teachers  had 
learned  all  about  it.  Of  course  it  was  a  thing  that 
could  not  be  passed  over.  After  some  discussiofl, 
however,  it  was  considered  that  it  was  not  ofsut 
ficient  importance  to  be  brought  before  Dr.  Porter ; 
and  so  Mr.  Long  was  requested  to  see^  all  the  boy^' 
concerned  in  the  affair,  and  afterwards  report. 

Mr.  Long's  study  was  a  room  situated  immediate- 
ly  under  Bart's.  Ho  generally  left  at  nine  in  the 
evemng,.and  slept  elsewhere.  Consequently  he 
hadjiot  been  in  the  way  of  hearing  those  "voices 
of  the  night."  It  was  to  thi&  room,  then,  that  the 
"  B.  0.  W.  C,"  together  with  I^at,  bent  their  steps, 
trymg  to  conjecture  what  Mr.  Long  propo8e(f  to 
do  about  it,^  o  r    r  ^ 


N 


■  '      V   Mif' 


.  ■        'I       '1,^ 


^   . 


280 


THE  B0Y8   QP  GRANf) 'PR|:  SCHOOL. 


T 


\  ' 


^ 


XXI. 


i<  • 


Com  to.  Account.  -  Mr.  Long  and  tU  B.  'o.  W  O 
Vj^cl     "''•"";"*'"  "  Wigging." -Pat  to 

Speech,  a  Poem,  «  Procession,  aU  ending  in  t 

MZs;7l''-"r^^'^^^^"<^reV:^, 

'Sihey  entere*  the  study  they  fo«nd  Mr 

anrf  „  ""-'O'-He  looked  afthem  with  a  „ave 
and^severe  countenance,  and  motioned  thelT 

They  sat  dowB^.  .  ' 

-manners     I  ^^^.'^^LTL'^XZll^t  i 
^  beheve  that  I  taka  a  d^o^  •  ^  .      enougli  to  / 

tHato..akei^:^^::;:s-'-^i7 


^ ' 


N 


■r 


CALLED   TO   ACCOUNT. 


281 


wan   you    oO^e  th.s  place  with. aJPyotfr  hearts, 
^nd  through  ^1  your  after  lives  to  look  back  upon 

o^lTc^t    ^'t^rf'^y  -'^^  "^"«  '"ost  affoctionate  rec 
ollect.on.     That  very  feeh-ng  I  have  now,  ,nd  it  is- 

.  this  tl^at  animates  me  while  I  call  upon  you  to  civo 
an  account  of  those  disturbances  in  which  M 
have  been  engaged.  .       -  ^ 

■  "  Yott  see  a  line  must  be  drawn  somewhere"  he 
eontinued  "  Your  affl^ir  at  the  French  cellar^wa 
not  altogether  wl?at  it  oughtto  ha^e  :b.een,''and^'I 
do  not  approve  of  it  at  all.  Apart  from  the  lateness 
of  ^  hour,  t^iere  w.*,about  the  whole  transaction 
anair  of  wildnes^_a  certain  headlong  reckless- 

dulge.,  -  Still,!  have  nothing  to  say  about  that^now 
Y/fn  seem  to  have  -gone  into  that  affair  .yith  an  im! 
petuositylof  pure  fun,  that  Winded  you  to  anything 
objectionable  which  might,  have  been  in  it  Be 
^des,  you  have  already  told  all  about  that,  and  in  a 
whimsical  way  that  disarmed  all  reproof 

screectwf;,  °n°°'r^'  ''»''"»g^'  y^":»gB,  and 

conlAvL^ft     T  '"^'y  be  very  funny  t„  le 
contrivers  of  them,  but  you  are  surely  old  enough  - 
to  know  that  they  may  be  Excessively  dangerous 
to  sensitye  m,nds.    Did  you  not  thin/of  thf  ^or 


\ 


•LJ 


s/ 


"^"^"^timmmmm 


282 


THE  BOYS  OF  GRAND  Pfi£  SCHOOL. 


little  fellows  here  who   miVlif  ro«^- 

ble  that  you  could  have  been  blind  «i  all  tMn 
except  your  own  selfish  amusement  ?  r/ti!  T 
sort  of  thing  that  is  becoI^gTo  "  -  v^'VJ' 
repeated,  "from  whom  I  hoped  nothl..  .  .' 
amples  of  manliness,  and  generost  aL  f  T 
ness  andohivalry?  I  will  not  b^ve  that  "t 
possible  fotyou'to  fail  in  these  qualities      1*.    I 

In  ht  t"  "T  "^  "'  y^'"'  »"  ^  'attribut 
your"';  :  "Ts'rT  ""^'  *'>-g''«e-nes  on 
your  part.  And  it  ,s  that  very  thoughtlessne^  if 
nothing  worse,  that  I/tlame.  It  waslt  w  rthy  of 
you;  itwas  utterly  beneath  you.  It  was  a  ve^ 
serious  offence."       /  -  *  ^^"7 

S^l^°r  ''t'^  ''"*"''  ""-^^  »"  this,  and  Bart 
T    ;^  '^'^^''''^'"■"g  s'="l«t,  and  his  e;es  gleam: 
m^  w,th  excted  feeling,  was  about  to  speak    b« 
Mn^long  commanded   silence  with  his'  JifLd 

"  But  what  shall  I  say,"  he  continued,  "  to  this 

S^siitjrv-i^t^ri-f 

act  which  isTuffictnt  toT    '^""■"*'  "P*"-  "" 
^a«*-  ft^.^:Si  to  demani  seriM,  punish^ 


■menf     rL...:        »      ,  "«mana  serious  punish^ 

terror  ,n  the  school,  you  deliberately  proceed  to 

I 


I  l| 


I  serious 
!  it  possi- 
n  things 

this  the 

you,"  he 

but  ex- 

d  frank- 

lat  it  is 

I  trust 
ttribute 
ness  on 
ness,  if 
rthy  of 
a  very 

d  Bart, 
gleam- 
k;  but 
phfted 

to  this 
h"max. 
school 
eem  a 
ce,  in 

es, 

on  an 
jnish-  J__ 


rabl© 
id  to 


'  )i 


MB.   LONG  IS  SEVERE. 


383 


intensify  even  this,- and  raise  that  terror  into  a 
perfect  anguish.    'Was  not  the   panic^^ sufficient 
already?    Did  you  wish  it  to  terminate  itt  some 
tragedy?    Would^gfiave  been  satisfactory  to  you 
if  the  feeble  brain  of  some  of  the  younger  boys 
had  given  way  under  this  new  terror?  if  some  one 
ot  them  had  suddenly  gone  mad,  as  that  abhor- 
rent  roar,  that  mixture  of  howls,  and  yells,  and 
screeches,  and  hoots,  rising  up  into  an  unearthly 
din   and  intermingled  with  the  awful  toll  of  the 
bell,  had  burst  upon  his  ear?    Such  things  have 
happened.     There  have  been,  not  boys,  but'  men, 
who  have  gone  mad  from  things  even  less  terrible 
than  these.     Why,  when  I  think  of  what  might 
have  happened,  I  shudder,  and  I  stand  amazed  at 
what  I  charitably  consider  your  thoughtlessness  : 
though  for  fiuch   thoughtlessh'ess   as   this,  what 
punishment,  can  be  adeq^ate  ? 

"  And  now,"  he  concluded,  «  what  Tave  you  to 
say  for  yourselves'?  " 

AH  this  time  the  faces  of  the  boys  were  like  fire, 
and  writhing  m  indignation,  they  looked  back  at  Mr. 
Lbng  as  he  hur/^d  against  them  what  they  felt  to 
be  unmerited  accusations.  They  had  only  been 
concerned  in  the  last  afiair  for  the  purpose  of 
putting  an  effectual  end  to  the  other.  But  as  they 
^aUhere  in  the  consciousness  of  innocence,  ih.i 


!7*^*^^^^  impossible  for  them  to  explainll 
They  could  not  tell  what  they  knew,  for  that  would 
be  to  accilse  Pat. 


0 


<H'^"' 


mmm 


mm 


IM 


IPIIiil 


'f 


wm 


284 


THE  BOrS  OP  GRAND  fnt   SCHOOL. 


"Mr.  Long,"  burst  for*  Bart,  starting  up,  with 
h.s  face  ,n  a  flame,  and  his  voice  tremWing  Z  th 

utterly  and  totally  undeserved  by  us.     I  assn™ 

you  most  solemnly  that  we  have  never  vioXd 

^  any  pnnoiples  of  honor  or  of  chivalry      ^ou  do 

not  know  the  facts,  sir,  or  you  would  never  have 

great  wrong  sir ;  we  are  not  deserving  of  such 
charges  as  these.  We  are  innocent;  but  we  are 
not  m  a  position  to  explain." 

Bart  paused  for  a  moment,  and  in  that  momen 
tery  pause  another  voice  burst  in  as.eagerlyZd  at 
impetuously  as  his  own.  •'  ■ 

It  was  Pat. 

Ti.^^\^f  ''r'"^  *°  ^''  ^'"'>'  J""^'  ^  Bart  did  but 
Bart  had  spoken  before  him.  As  soon  as  he  cou"d 
get  a  chance  he  burst  in. 

yerfavi^''"!'"^'  """'v"''''  *"  *  "''^'^'^^  "hat 
yer  saj  m     As  thrne  as  I'm  standin  here,-  and  I'm 

i^it^wi'o'  fy  toTiSriiZ  r™  !"''"■ 

fhflf  T  ^-^  •*     T   ,.?  *^^      ""^^  harrumless  loke 
at  all.     He  coom  there  himself.     He  howled   an 

knowed.     Besides,  I  thried  till  alarrum  the  boys  a 
bit.    Nmrfearlhat  wa^av^^t^^^^  same  goes  Ic^ 
mjied  the  excitemint,  so 


^ 


daj  or  two,  I  tied  a  8th 


they 


did.    Afthera 
ring  till  the  bell-knocker,  an 


up,  with 
ling  with 
ittered  is 
I  assure 
violated 
You  do 
er  have 
done  us 
of  such 
i  we  are 

momen- 
7  and  as- 


lid,  but 
e  could 

e  what 
ind  I'm 
it,  so  it 
3y  did. 
s  joke 
at  all, 
ed,  an 
^hat  I 
Joys  a 
mad.  = 


give 
dona 


MR.   LONG   RELAXp. 


285 


kher  a 
er,an 


it  a  bit  av  a  pull,  an  I  knocked  at  the  Raw- 
dure-and  at  Jiggins'.    An  I'm  the  ony  wan  to 
blam3,-  an  if  there's  till  be  any  punishin  a  goin, 
■    I'm  the  wan  that's  going  till  take  it,  so  I  am." 

Alt  these  words  Pat  poured  forth  with  feverish 
impejuosity,  as  though  anxious  to  tell  everything 
befoi^  he  could  be  interrupted.  Not  a  word  did 
he  sa)^  about  the  other  boys  and  the  donkey.  He 
left  li  to  be  incurred  that  he  was  to  be  blamed  for 
the  d(|nkey  also.  He  intended  -  the  warm-hearted 
Irish  M  —  that  he  should  be  punished  for  that  too. 
"AM  Long,"  cried  Bart,  bursting  in,  "since 
Pat  h|s  told  about  the  owl  himself,  wo'4an  confess 
our  8%re.     We  brought  up  the  donkey." 

«  A ji  it  worn't  a  thrick,"  said  Pat.  «  It  wor  till 
frighten  me,  so  it  wor,  an  make  me  stop  me  bell- 
pullin^_  an  knockins.  That's  what  it  wor  An 
didn't  \  get  it !  I  wor  jest  pullin  the  sthring  that 
•wor  fastened  till  the  bell,  whin  the  donkey' let  aff  a 
bray  thUt  knocked  me  clain  from  me  oun  roomi  all 
the  wa^  down  stairs,  head  over  heels,  an  fut  first 
That's  yhat  it  did.  An  that's  as  thrue  as  I'm 
standm  here  a  tellin  av  it." 

Mr.  Ljpng  now  began  to  question  them,  and  soon 
all  the  f^cts  were  elicited.  As  the  truth  became 
known,  tjie  severity  of  his  manner  relaxed,  and  his 
tone  became  pleasant  and  kindly. 

^^  Well^  boys,"  said  he^  "^all  this  jputs  the  matter 
m  a  veiV  different  light.  Tfhe  owl"  came  and 
8creeche4  himglf.    Pat  was  only  to  blame  for  as- 


» 


V  . 


/ 


286 


THE  BOYS  OP  CBAND  Put  SCHOOL. 


a.8t,Dg  the  excitement.    You  were  only  to  blame 

U^Z\"°  ""7  ^'°''"'*  ^  ^"^  *«  'top  'he  affair. 
It  might  have  been  stopped  without  that,  if  you 
had  simply  told  all  about  it.    But  I  see  the  odS 
kind  of  mot,™  you  had.     You  merely  wished  to 
surround  the  denouement,  as  you  say,  with  such 
absurd  accompamments,  that  no  boy  »  the  hill 
would  evbt  dare  to  hint  at  a  ghost  again.    Well,  1 
may  not  hke  your  way  of  going  to  work,  but  I  at 
least  understand  your  motives.    I  need  not  say  how 
gW  I  am  at  .this  explanation.    I  came  here  undeT 
a  f^se  impression,  and  regret  that  I  spoke  with 

this  irr;t  ^'"'  f'  ^'-^  *'«''  ^  •"-«  *o«t 

tins  IS,  that  It  was  what  is  called  a  practical  joke 

thing  which  I  have  always  endeavored  to  put  down 
bo  now,  boys,"  he  concluded,  « let  me  say  —  "  ' 
^^At  this  moment  there  came  a  faint  rap  at  the 

Mr.  Long  looked  at  the  door,  but  took  no  further 
notice  of  the  sound.    Thinking  it  wla  mistake 
he  continued,  m  a  pleasant  tone,— 

m  all  of  you,  that  I  feel  sure  —  " 
At  this  there  came  another  rap,  somewhat  louder, 
"Come  ID,"  said  Mr.  Long. 

wJ!i  t°°A  ?"'•''  ''°'''^-    '^'«'««  '"  the  room 
were  behind  ,t  as  ,t  opened,  and  they  couldnot  see 

who  was  coming.    Gradually  11  opened,  aad^hea. 
there  steoDed  forth  ih^  ,r^» ui„  n         „  _        . 


^ere  stepped  forth  the  venerable  form  of  Captain 


CAPTAIN  CORBET. 


287 


V  fV  ^\f^'''^^  ^°  ^i«  ai-ms  a  little  bundle, 
which  he  held  with  the  tenderest  care -and  there 
was  on  his  face  an  expression  made  up  of  pride  of 
triumph,  and  of  a  certain  joyous  consciousness 
.  which  he  possessed  that  he  was  the  bearer  of  that 
which  would  not  fail  to  excite  similar  emotions  in 
others. 

The  moment  Mr.  Long  saw  him  and  his  burden, 
he  started  to  his  ieet,  looking  very  pale 
^  Captain  Corbet  stood  in  the  doorway, '  swaying 
his  shoulders  backward  and  forward,  so  as  to  afford 
an  agreeable  motion  to  his  tender  charge  ;  his  head 
hung  on  one  side,  and  he  looked  upon  the  com- 
pany with  that  peculiar  expression  of  benignity 
which  may  be  seen  on  the  face  of  some  indulgent 
lather  who  has  prepared  some  rich  treat  for  his 
children.  , 

What  I "  exclaimed  the  venerable  Corbet  •  «  aU 
here -all  jined  together  on  this  momentuous  od- 
rrw.i'^r  ^eafeared  that  some  on  yew'd  miss 
itl     Wal,  It  air  lucky- ain't  it?    You  see,  the  ole 
woman,  she  went  off  to  see  a  cousin  of  hern,  that's 
got  her  youngest  darter  down  with  the  spotted 
fever  -ony   I  dare  say,  arter  all,  it's  ony  the 
measles.    So  I  see  this  here  young  an  tender  infant, 
akerowm  m  his  keradle  like  all  possessed:  an  I 
says,  Now's  the  perpitious  momunt;  an  I  says  to 
the  offsperm, '  Doozy  wanter  see  Missr  Long,  den?_ 
^oozy  wanter  see  zee  boy^?    An  so  he  saU  P 
Fur,  my  Christian  friens,  I  promised  you,  solemn,  on 


288     THE  BOYS.  OF  GRAND  PRfi  SCHOOL. 

that  thar  vyge,  that  some  da/ I'd  bring  the  babby 
An  you,  sir,  Mr.  Long,  my  benefactor,  I  vowed  to 
you  that  senco  you'd  saved  this  tender  babe  from 
rewination  arter  his  feyther's  laid  low,  he  shonM 
come  an  show  you  his  own  self,  and  look  up  in  your 
keountenance,  through  his  blue  orbs,  and  ainile 
upon  you  with  his  be-yeau-teefulest  smilaf  -^n 
thar  he  air."  ...;  M 

Saying  this,  Captain   Corbet  proceeded  !o    re- 
raove  the  coyei^iiigs  from  the  face  of  his  beloved 
,  burden. 

Mr.  Long  stood  motionless  and  mute.     His  eves 
wandered   to   the   window.     Captain  Corbet   was 
standing  in  the  doorway,  barring  the  passage,  and 
Slowly  and  tenderly  draWing -aside  the  veil  that  hid 
Irom  view  the  face  that  he  loved. 
Suddenly  Mr.  Long  started. 
His  resolution  was  taken. 
He  walked  towards  the  door. 
Captain   Corbet   saw  him   not.     His   eyes,  his 
thoughts   and  his  heart  were  all  engaged  in  his 
delightful  employment. 

"Ah,  captain,"  said  Mr.  Long,  hurriedly,  "  I  hope' 
yoif^re  very  well.     Is  there  anything  I  can  do  for     ' 
you  r    it  so,  I  can  see  you  some  other  time.     I'm 
in  a  great  hurry.     I've  just  finished  some'business 
which  I  had  With  these  boys.    You  wiU  have  to  be 
Kind  enough  to  excuse  me." 

He  touched  Captain  Corbet's  shoulder,  and  tried— 
to  push  him  gently  aside,  so  as  to  pass. 


S 


i 


_" 'I  r  -r    II    1 1 


idiMi 


1  iiMlliliUMti'ii"" 


M        "' 


f^:^' 


I  i-i. 
■  i  f  I 


■/,. 


^- 


/     ^ 


n 


« 1  aSi*«Hr5^- 1 


Js, 


/  289 


HB.  LONG  ESCAPES. 

Captain  Corbet's  hand,  which  had  been  rembvinff 
the  coverings,  feU  slowly  to  his  side.  His  face 
turned  up  and  confronted  Mr.  Long's  with  an  ex- 
pression  of  utter  bewilderment,  as  though  the 
,  language  -which  he  had  heard  was  perfectly  in- 
.  comprehensible.  His  lips  moved,  but  no  sound 
escaped.  / 

^"Yo^'U  have  to  excuse  me,"  said  Mr.  Long, 
kmdly.  "I'm  in  a  great  hurry.  Will  you  aUow 
me  to  pass  ?  "       - 

Mechanically  Captain  Corbet  moved  to  one  side. 
Mr.  Long  hurried  out.  He  descended  the  sta-^ ; 
he  walked  rapidly  out  of  the  Academy,  and  d^^wn 
into  the  viUage,  and  far,  far  away. 

Captain  Corbet  stood  at  the  doorway  looking  at 
vacancy.     At  length   he    turned.     There   was   a 
certain  blank  amazement  in  his  face,  as  though  h) 
could  not  yet  understand  what  had  happened 
"He  said  he  was  in  a  hurry  1"  he  murmured. 
He s  gone!  actiUy-an  raelly-and  terewly- 
gone-ansecA  a  chancel  -Why,  ifU  never  come 
agm,  may  be.    An  he's  ben  an  missed  it -lost 
H-actilly  therrown   it  away  I    Boys,"  he   con- 
tmued,  after  a  pause,  in  a  hoUow  voice,  "am  I  a 
dereamin  ? "  ,      m  x  a 

«  0,  no,  captain,"  said  Bart,  cheerily.    «  You're 
wideawake.     Come  in  and  sit  down." 
J'he.captain  shook  his  head. 


"Pinch me  1 "  said  he,  in  the  same  tragic  tone. 
■No  one  obeyed^^  ^ 


19 


^ 


( i 


*<f 


I 


t  I 


290 


THE  BOYS  OP  GRAND  PR6  SCHOOL. 


Captain  Corbet  heaved  a  heavy  sigh. 

"No,"  said  he.    " I  feel  that  I'm  awake.    Here's 

the  babby  — here's  its  parient.    But  I  must  rest 

an  meditate  over  this  harrowin  occurrience."         ' 

Saying  this,  he  walked  forward,  and  seated  hiin- 

self  in  Mr.  Long's  vacated  chair. 

"  Thar,"  he  exclaimed,  after  a  long  silence,  rais- 
mg  his  meek  facQ,  and  solemnly  regarding  tfie  boys 
"  Thar,  it  air  over  I    That  dream  hath  past  and  fled 
an  the  feeble  idee  I  ben  a  heyin  of  Mr.  Long's  bet- 
ter natoor  air  totially  overtherrown  by  that  muve  I 
For  it  was  a  perroud  hope  of  the  aged  and  tew 
«ajigu-wine  Corbet  to  give  thanks  to  the  man  that 
delivered  him,  from  rewination  in  the  most  ef- 
fectooil  way,  by  a  bringin  of  the  babby  face  tew 
,  fece'  with  his   benefacture,  an  a  teachin  of  the 
tender  infant  to   summile  on  the  author  of  his 
footur  fortm.     We  met,"  he  continued,  as  a  darker 
shade  came  over  his  venerable  countenance.    «  We 
Jnet,  an  I  thot^we^  feel  a  mootooil  ^j.    I  stood  a 
hngerin  lo^ga)y  >onder  open  portial,  a  holdin  of 
him  in  suspense,  an  a  pictoorin  tew  myself  his  silent 
raptoor.     Why,  do  you  know,  boys,  I'd  even  m^de 
up  my  mind  to  let  him  hold  the  5a%^^  jest  for  a 
leetle,  — if  he  begged  hard,  an  if  the  infant  didn't 
Cry.    That's  what  I  was  a  keepin  in  store  for  him.  - 
What  do  ye  think  of  that  now  ?  "  •t 

And  after  thi^announcement  of  his  late  plan,  he 
looked  earaestly  at  the  'b(rjrs  to  witness  the  fulT^ 
effect  of  that  disclosure. 


Here's 
ist  rest, 

n 

m 

•ed  him- 

ce,  rais- 

ie  boys. 

nd  fledy 

g's  bet- 

muve  I 

ad  tew 

an  that 

ost  ef- 

;e  tew 

of  the 

of  his 

darker 

"  We 

tood  a 

din  of 

silent 

mslde 

for  a 

didn't 

^  him. 

an,  he 
e  fuU 


V-. 


k 


r 


>  CAPTAIN  CORBET'S  GRIEP.'^'  291 

"  An  what  was  the  result  ?    Did  he  speririfr^ew 
meet  me?    Did  he  clasp  the  babe ?    DM  he  evW 
a  mit^  of  yeamin  or  kimpassion  ?    Did  he  even  try 
to  get  a  sight  of  the  pootiest  ittle  face  zat  ever 
was  -  bress  him."    Here  Captain^er^bet  began  to 
showsigns  of  growing  Ihaudlin,  but  he  checked 
hramelf  and  went  on.    «  He  I  not  he.    What  did  he 
do,  young  sirs?    You  saw  him.    Bar  witness  tew 
.:   what  I  say.    He  took  his  departoor.    He  fel-Ied- 
.   like  an  evil  sperrit,  at  the  approach  of  that  cherub. 
An  I -I  felt  it  sore  -r  felt,  it -an  I  feel  it  still, 
•    —yes,  I  do,  — yea,  even  down  to  the  toes  of  mv 
.  butes  I "  ^  I    "^ 

Here  foUowed  a  long  silence,Vhich  the  boys  did 
not  break,  for  they  did  not  know  what  to  say  to 
soothe  the  woes  of  the  afflicted  captain.  At  length 
he  looked  up,  and  went  on  in  a  tone  of  sadness,  in  • 
which  might  be  detected  something  Uke  res^t- 
ment.  ^  ] 

"  Bu6t  opinions  is^Uus  krect  You  mind,  boys, 
what  I  told  you  on  the  briny  deep.  I  said  that  t^^ 
heart  of  Mr.  Long  was  as  hard  as  the  neither  mileJ 
stone.  ^Terew,  when,  on  that  evenifooil  trile,  he' 
riz  up  for  me,  an  fit  down  my  fiendish  prosecooter. 
an  gently,  tetched  him  up  on  the  roar  by  that 
tremenjuotis  outbust  abeout.  the  babby ;  when  all 
,that  was  a  happenin,  I  did  think  I'd  a  leetle  mis- 
jedged  him.    But^id^ ?    No.    Icome  toitov  a 


parient'i  gratitood  by  presentin  before  him  my 


■%    ,A 


■•PW" 


"W^" 


■■ 


292 


THE  BOYS   OP  GRAND   mt  SCHOOL. 


,/ 


most  perecious  treasoor.    An  what  was  the  result  ? 
What?    Why,  he  met  me  with  his  habitooil  haw 
heartedness.   J  foutid  him  stiflf  as  a  marbial  i 
cold  an  freezin  as  a  icicle,  rugged  an  onffeel 
rocky  precipious  ^  "  '' 

As  he  ended,  he  rose  froto  his  chair.    The  boys 
now  gathered  about  him,  and  asked  him  to  come 
up  to  Bart's  room,  just  overhead,  and  let  them  see 
his  mfant.   They  addressed  consoling  words  to  him 
and  sought  to  smooth  down  his  ruffled  feelings. 

But  Captain  Corbet  shook  his  head.  « 
. '!  ^""^  ^7#  said  he,  "  thankee  kindly.  You're  all 
nght,  —  'Ma't  you,  'tain't  your  fault,  — -feut  I  feel 
sore.  There's  somethin  opperessive  in  Ithis' here 
inteUectooil  atmosphiour.  I  must  seek  elsewhere 
for  comfort  to  my  ruffled  busom.  Thankee  kindly, 
boys.  Somo  other  time,  not  now  — some  other 
time." 

Saying  this,  the  aged  captain  /  left  the  room 
and  de|cended  the  stairs,  andgook  his  departure. 
The  boys  ^tched  his  veWW^ffure  tilL  Jt 
paased  out  iPsfght;  and  ty|^^  andlSt 
head,  and  mournful  mood  of  fflSHeloved  navigator 
touched  aU  their  hearts  with^a  common  feeling  of 
sympathjy.  a       .     ^  -^ 

As  Captain  Corbet's   retreating "  figure    disap- 
•eared  from  view,  the  boys  turned  away,  and 
S^^^^"^^^  ^*^°^  the  front  of  the  Academy, 
mtl«  vague  idea  of  taking  a  walk  up  to  the" 


i\  m 


.,*  '* 


result  ? 

il  haf!<riii  '^^S 

8t 


THE  RELICS. 


293 


rture.  . 

jt   .>"* 
ht 
igatoi" 
ngof 


camp.     But  before  they  had  gone  any  great  dis-' 
tance  they  mejt  Dr.  Porter. 

"  Boys,"  said  he,  "  you'll  be  glad  to  know  tJiat 
your  French  relics -aje  all  labelled,  and  are  now 
ready  to  be  taken  to  tl^^l^seura."  ^    .: 

"  May  we  t^ke  them  ther^,  sir  ?  " 

"0,  yes."  , 

"WkenV      "  J- 

"Now,  if  you  like,  infgo  back  tx)  the  house, 
and  let  you  have  them." 

Saying  this  the  doctor  turned  back  towards  the 
house,  followed  by  the  boys. 

Tljey  found  the  articles  all  neatly  labelled,  and^ 
their  jiamea  written  upon  each  labeUs  discoverers 
and  donors.  All  looked  delighted  except  BkH. 
He  re^  the  label  on  the  bone,  and  there  was  an 
expression  on  his  face  which  did  not  escape  the. 
notice  of  the  doctor. 

"  What's  the  matter,  Bart  ?  "  he  asked.    «  You 
don't  seem  pleased." 
"  Why,  sir,"  said  Bart,  "  I  didn't  think  that  this 
'  bone  belonged  to -—  to  that"  . 

,  «  Why,  what  did  you  think  that  it  did  belong  to  ?" 
"Well,  sir,  I  thought  that  it  belonged  to  the 
owner  of  the  house." 

"  The  owner  of  the  house  1 "  said  the  doctor,  wiflix 
a  laugh.    "  Well,  not  directly.    It  belonged  to  hw 
^"®'  *iJL^°^'  ^^*  Mr^Bimmons  thinks  ^it  waa= 
his  cow.    Th5t  is  the  only  way  in  which  it  ever 
belonged  to  him."  - 


4A"  ir.m      HfP* 


294 


THE  BOYS  OP  GBAND  PRE  SCHOOL. 


Bart  looked  ineffably  disgusted. 
«  Then  it's  no  use  putting  an  old  cow  bone  in  the 
Museum,"  said  he. 

_  "  ^'  y^f  «aid  the  doctor.  « It  was  found  beside 
the  plough,  and  perhaps  belonged  to  the  horse  or 
ox  that  dragged  it.  From  that  point  of  view  it  is 
a  very  interesting  relic."   ' 

Bart  said  no  more,  and  soon  the  boys  retired  on 
their  way  to  the  Museum,  bearing  their  treasures 
With  them. 

«  Boys,"  said  Bruce,  « it  wiU  never  do  for  us  to 

carry  these  things  up  without  making  some  demon- 

stration  or  other.     It  isn't  every  day  that  we  are 

presenting  things  to  the  Museum  that  we've  duff 

out  of  the  ground." 

-      "  Jhat's  a  capital  idea,"  cried  Bart,  who  by  this 

^  time  had  recovered  from  the  shock  of  his  disap- 

pointment.  .  ^ 

"  So  I  say,"  said  Arthur ;  «  but  what  shaU  we 
do  ?  " 

"0,  let's  have  a  speech,  andli  poem,  and  a  pro- 
cession," said  Phil.  . 

«  Yes,"  said  Tom,  "  Bruce  can  make  the  speech, 
and  Bart  can  make  the  poem." 

This  was  agreed  upon,  and  it  was  decided  that 

the  ceremony  should  come  off  immediately  before 

tea^time.    They  had  an  hour  yet,  and  that  gave 

them  am^e  time.''  Soon^  the  news  spread  abroad, 

=aaa  aft  the  bt^  flocked       " 


the  spot.    Bruce  as- 


w* 


*>':^<ii«---m,m>,M<,«im-m>fi,„i«^ 


.. 


— jsbuce's  speech. 


295 


cended  tBe  portico,  and  stood  there  with  the 
French  relics  at  his  feet. 

Bruce  had  not  had  much  time  for  preparation; 
but  then  he  was  very  quick  at  impromptu  speeches^ 
and  the  occasion  did  not  demand  anything  more 
than  this.  Bart  stood  near,  scribbling  something 
in  his  memorandum-book. 

After  arranging  the  things- in  an  effective  row, 
^nd  putting  all  the  coins  inside  the  iron  pot,  Bruce 
Commenced. 

,  Holding  up  the  iron  pot,  and  rattling  the  coins, 
he  began  by  giving  a  humorous  description  of  their 
search  after  it.  Without  going  very  deeply  into 
the  real  particulars  of  the  case,  he  introduced  into 
his  burlesque  narrative  quite  a  number  of  the 
actual  facts.  After  finishing  this  description,  he 
showed  the  identical  pot  of  money  which  they  had 
exhumed,  and  it  was  passed  round  from  hand  to 
hand. 

Bruo^  then  exhibited  the  ploughshare,  and  the 
other  irons.  The  plough,  he  assured  them,  be- 
longed to  the  first  settler  on  this  classic  spot.  The 
bolts  had  fastened  it  together,  and  the  chain  had 
drawn  it  through  the  ground.  It  was  this  plough, 
of  which  these  were  the  interesting  relics,  that 
had  reclaimed  the  hiU  from  its  origmal  wilderness 
state,  and  made  possible  the  existence  of  that  great 
and  glorious  school  to  wiiet  they^at^tseat  4ia#— 


the  proud  privilege  of  belonging." 


..-.  I  »■■  >i  I .'  mv^mmmmmmimmfiifmflli 


296     THE  BOYS  OP  GRAND  PB6  SCHOOL. 

Finafty,  he  exhibited  the  bone.  Dr.  Porter,  he 
said  thought  it  was  the  bone  of  a  horse;  while 
Mr.  Simmons  thought  that  it  once  had  belonged  to 
a  cow,  or  perhaps  an  ox.    For  his  part,  he  had  a 

bone  of  that  nightmare  that  had  been  making  sX 

a  disturbance  among  them  during  the  last  we^ 

That  bone  was  now  going  into  the  Museui/a^ 

he  was  confident    that    the   peculiar   animi   to 

which  It  belonged  would  never  trouble  the"  school 
again.  * 

oht'  ^ZT  ^""^^^^  ^^  "^^^  ^««*®<^  ^ith  three 
cheers.  Three  more  foUowed  for  the  plough ;  three 
for  the  pot  of  money ;  and  three  for  the  bone 

After  this,  Bart,  arose  with  his  memorandum- 
book  in  which  he  had  been  diligently  scribbling. 

Gentlemen,"  said  he,  «  after  the  able,  pohshed, 
elegant,  eloquent,  ornate,  and  thoroughly  exhaus- 
tive  address  from  my  learned  friend,  who  has  iust 
sat  down.  It  would  be  quite  out  of  my  power  to  say 
anything.  Besides,  I'm  appointed  to  give  the  poem. 
Ihe  subject  18  connected  with  one  of  the  articles 
fhJr^M    .?"'''"  *^"^"°"-    I>r- Porter  has  one 

^.7il-^"'^i'^"^  "°"'^''^  ^^  ^^^"^^^  friend 
^s  a  third     For  my  part,  I  have  my  own  theory, 

which  I  adopted  at  the  moment  of  its  discovery 
and  which  I  stiU  maintain.  This,  gentlemen,"  is 
the  subject  of  my  poem."  ' 

-^  After  which^arrreaa^the^nowingfro^hifir" 
memorandum-bpok;  — 


wmtimmmmm 


1 

'Ibart's  poem. 


297 


"THE  TRUE  THEORY  OF  THE  BONi!* 

,     "  0,  I'm  the  bone  of  a  Parley  Voo 
That  settled  in  Minas  Bay, 
That  dammed  the  marshes,  and  cleared  the  woods. 
^  And  called  the  place  Grand  Pr6. 

^    "  And  the  grain  it  riz,  and  the  settlement  growed 
And  werry  content  were  we,  * 

With  our  cattle  and  pigs,  and  hosses  and  gigs 
And  beautiful  scenerie.  * 

"  And  there  it  was  nothing  but  Mng-iong-paic, 
Et  cetera,  from  morning  to  night, 
And  Mercy,  madame,  and  Wee,  moo-soo,— 
We  were  all  so  werry  polite. 

"  But  the  Britishers  came,  and  druv  us  off; 
So  I  took  to  my  heels,  and  ran. 
And  one  of  them  chased  me,  and  quick  I  went 
For  rather  an  elderly  man. 

"  And  he  had  a  gun,  and  I  had  none ; 
And  he  fired  that  gun  at  me ; 
And  he  shot  my  leg,  and  off  it  dropped, 
Which  was  rather  a  bother,  you  see. 

"  But  I  seized  my  leg,  aqd  I  hopped  away, 
As  quick  as  quick  could  be. 
And  the  Britisher  loaded  his  gun  agin, 
For  another  shot  at  pie. 

"  But  I  dodged  the  Britisher  in  the  woods, 
And  took  the  leg  that  was  shot, 
And  buried  it  under  the  apple  tree. 
In  this  werry  identical  spot. 

_"And  I'm  the  werry  identical  bong ==..:...:_ 


Of  the  leg  of  the  Parley  Voo 
That  was  buried  beneath  the  apple  tree. 
Aid  dug  up  again  by  you  I " 


iiii|i|iiiiijM|ifai 


298 


THE  BOYS   OP  GRAND  FR±  SCHOOL. 


This  closed  the  proceedings. 

A  procession  was  then  formed,  headed  by  the 

TK        ;.  '   T''"  ''''  ^^^  ™y  *°  «>«  Museum. 

rehcs,  and,  if  they  haven't   been  taken  away 
they're  lying  there  stHI.  ^' 


■^1 


K 


««««»«Ml«l«*««»MM«, 


by  the 
seum. 
Acadian 
I  away, 


THE  AqADIANS. 


299 


XXII.  \ 

^  Boys  in  the  Mmeui.—  The  Doctor^ a  Lecture 
7 ^l^rJ'"'^''''^-  -^ouiahourg.  -  A  Journey 
to  the  Wharf.  -  The  Antdope.  -  Captcdn  Pratt. 

IE  presence  of  Dr.  Porter  in  the  Museum 
repressed  to  some  extent  the  merriment  of 
the   boys,  and  the   newly^rrived  articles 
were  deposited  in  a  conspicuous  place,  where  they 
could  not  fail  to  attract  attention.     The  Museum 
had  grown  up  slowly  under  the  joint  care  of  the 
doctor  and  Mr.  Simmons,  the  former  of  whom  de- 
voted  himself  to  the  archaeological,  and  the  latter 
to  the  mmeralogical  department.     With  each  of   • 
these  gentlemen  it  was  a  hobby.    The  delight  of 
the  doctor  at  these  exhumed  French  relics  has 
already  been  described  ;  and,  at  the  present  time, 
their  formal  assignment  to  their  proper  location 
here  served  to  stimulate  his  enthusiasm,  and  started 
himx)flf  upon  a  favorite  theme  of  his -the  exiled 
Acadians.    About  these  he  had  much  to  say.    He 


""  "»vi  luuuu  lo  say.    ue 

^wed  ^  the  relics  whieh  he  had  slowly  accumlir 
lated  here  J  he.  told  many  stories  of  discoveries  of 


*\ 


r 


mmmmimm 


wmmmmm 


300     THE  BOYS  OP  GRAND  PR6  SCHOOL. 

his  own ;  and  finally,  going  to  a  smaU  chest,  he 
•     a]*ew  forth  some  papers.' 
.   .  '*I  promised  to  show  you  some  of  these,"  said 
he,  '^  when  we  were  over  on  the  North  Mountain. 
Everything  in  the  banishment  of  the  Acadiaffe  was 
hard  and  harsh,  and  cannot  be  thought  of  now 
without  indignation.    Not  the  least  repulsive  thing 
about  this  business  is  the  way  in  which  they  were 
sent  off.     Alany  people   suppose   that  they  were ' 
^nt  away  in  the  large  ships  of  the  British  fleet. 
That  was  not  the  case.     They  were  packed  in  a 
number  of  small  vessels  hired  at  Boston  ;■  most  of 
them  were  schooners.     The  whole  thing  was  taken 
under   contract  by  a  Boston  firm  — Messrs.  Ap- 
thorp  &  Hancock.     AU  their  bills  which  they  sent 
m  to  the  Nova.  Scotia  government  are  now  in  the 
archives,  and  I  hav6  copies  of  them.    See;  here 
IS  one  for  a  specimen." 

And  he  showed  the  following,  which  the  boys 
passed  from  hand  to  hand  :—    " 

Messrs.  Apthobp  &  Hancock, 

*  To  Zebad  Fobman.'De. 

To  hire  of  sloop  DolphifJ  myself  master,  from     • 
26th  August  to  20th  February,  1766,  is  6  months 

26  days  ®  £46  8  pr  month £272   4  3 

For  a  Pilot  as  pr  charter  party  e  60s  pr  month.  .  17.  iVo 

To  carrying  66  neutralls  more  than  his  comp't 
of  two  to  a  ton,  «  98  pr  two  Halifax  curr'y 
£  12  12  0  is  Ifiwful  money  per  Captain  Murray's 
^^^irectionr^-^^^  -i-  ;    .    ,     .  ~r.r=..^ 


rs  .2.y 


.    £804.18.8 


11 


said 


THE  ACADIANS.  ^Ql 

To  cas'h  paid  for  Provisions  at  Maryland  to  pup- 
ply  230  French  neutralls  after  the  Provisions 
rec'd  of  Mr.  Saul  was  expended. 
18.2.28.    Flour  ®  14s      .....  }.     .    .     £4i    2  0 

14.2.16.     Bread®  18s     .     .    .    ...  *       13  '3*0 

11.2.26.    Beef  and  Pork®  20s     ....'.'    .'11.14*8 

1  cord  Wood 0*14  ft 

Pd  for  water  at  Hampton ..026 

For  a  Protest .*.**.'*    0  10  0 

Two  journeys  from.Lower  Marlbro  to  AnnapoUs* 
by  GoVi  order 400 

71    fi  4. 
In  dollars  at  78  6d  makes  lawful  m*;,ey  9  68      .  67.1.1 

£361.19.9 

"Ah,  boys,"  said  the  doctor,  mournfully,  "how 

.      much  of  human  anguish  may  we  read  there  1  how 

many  broken  hearts  I  how  much  despair  appears 

before  us  in  those  remorseless  figures !    Think  of 

the  name  of  Hancock  being'  associated  with  a 

thmg  like  that.     "Neutralls"  they  were —  two 

hundred  and  thirty  "  neutralls "  at  so  much  per 

head.     Perhaps    among    those  poor  exiles,  con- 

tracted  for  at  so  much  per  head  by  that  Boston 

lirm,  there  was  some  Evangeline  looking  over  the 

sea,  with  her  white  lips  and  her  eyes  of  despair. 

"  StilV  continued  the  doctor,  after  some  silence. 

the  English  didn't  have  it  all  their  own  way. 

Ihere  were  several  occasions  in  which  the  Aca/ 

^ans  were  able  to  baffle  them.    One  place  wasaT 

^e  head  of  the  Bay  of  Fundy,  the  River  Pelilcodiac. 

Here  the  French  were  in  league  with  the  Indians, 


302 


THE  BOYS  OP  GBAND  PR6  SCHOOL. 


as  indeed  they  were  throughout  the  whole  of  Cana- 
da and  Acadie  I  and  when  a  detachment  of  troops 
was  sent  there  to  capture  them,  they  retreated  to 
the  woods.   The  troops  made  a  descent  at  one  place, 
where  they  found  twenty-five  women  and'children! 
These  they  were  merciless  enough  to  make  prison- 
ers.  Then  tiiey  went  through  the  pountry  devastat- 
mg  It,  and  seeking  thus  to  ruin  the  poor  fugitives 
It  was  villanous.work.    They  burned  more  than  two 
hundred  and  fifty  houses  and  a  church.    At  last 
the  French  made  Tan  attack  on  them,  and  they 
were  forced  to  retreat.     Had  the  French  shown  a 
little  more  enterprise,  they  could  have  destroyed 
them;  as  it  was,  the  troops  got.off  without  much 
loss.      There    was    another    instance    when    the 
French  got  the  better  of  their  enemies.    It  was  a 
vessel  that  was   carrying  over  two  hundred  of 
them  from  Annapolis  to  Carolina.    The  French\ 
rose,  and  got  command  of  the  vessel,  and  put  into 
the  River  St.  John.    The  English  heard  of  it,  and 
sent  a  vessel  after  them  with  British  soldiers  dis- 
guised as  French.    But  the  fugitives  discovered 
the  trick,  and  not  being  able  to  cope  with  their 
enemies,  they  set  fire  to  the  vessel,  and  escaped 
to  the  woods. 

There  was  a  great  deal  of  abominable  cruelty  in 

difierent  parts.     Wherever  they  could  not  make 

jnsp^rs,  they  burnedjheir  houses,  jn  the  hop©  of  _ 

starvifi^  them  to  death.     Whole    districts  were 

thus  devastated.    The  descendants  of  these  peo- 


\ 


THE.  ACADIANS. 


303 


p^  remember  all  this  yet,  and  can  tell  many  a  tale 
of  misery     Many  of  the  exiles  gradually  worked 
their  way  back,  and  found  new  homes  for  them, 
selves  m  other  parts  of  the  country,  and  their 
descendants  are  scattered  all  about  the  coasts  of 
JVova    Scotia    and    New  Brunswick.     They  are 
curiously  like  their  ancestors.     Simple,  innocek 
joyous,  peaceful,  there  is  but  little  crime  among 
them;  and  though  they  are  not  so  progressive  as 
we  are,  yet  they  have  other  qualities  which  may 
compensate  for  the  absence  of  our  more  practical 
faculties.     They  are  certa'inly  very  stetionary ;  so 
much  so,  mdeed,  that  some  acute  observers  de- 
Clare  that  they  have  not  advanced  so  much  as 
their  kindred  in  France.     They  say  that  our  Aca- 
dians  are  more  like   the  French  peasantry  of  a 
hundred  years  ago  than  the  French  themselves 
are  at  the  present  day.     This  is  particularly  the 
case  m  the  more  remote  districts,  such  as  the  Bay 
de  Chaleur.    I  have  often  been  there  myself,  and 
every  time  I  visit  one  of  .their  viUages  in  that  ^is- 
trict,  I   recall   some  of  the    descriptions  of  the 
CJmnd  Ft4  Acadians  in  LongfeUow's  Evangeline  " 

'  JT  *^^  ^''''^^  ^^^"^  *^  '*«"  «o°^e  anecdotes, 
and  then  went  on  speaking  of  other  things,  until 
at  eng^h  he  stopped  in  front  of  a  rusty  cannon- 
ball,  which  lay  on  a  table  in  the  middle  of  the 

JPQom^-^.-^ — - : ^ ,.-.-^. — ^— — -r== 


"Here,"  said  he,  "is  something  which  I  re- 


*W"M*WMP"iPPmMMiP 


304 


THE  #OYS  OP  GRAND   PR^  SCHOOL. 


ceived  a  few  dajra  ago,  and  I  think  it  is  almost 
equal  to  the  Acadian  plough.'^ 
"  What  is  it  ? "  «  "       ^ 

"  It's  a  cannon-ball  from  Louisbourg ;  ^nd  though 
I  don't  know,  of  course,  for  cert^irf,  yet  I  have 
mlade  up  my  mind  that  it  is  a  re#  of  the  first 
siege."  ifc.  -  T"  «i 

;'  How  can  you  tell,  sir,"  asked  BrnL,  «  whether 
It  IS  the  first  siege  or  ihe  second." 

"0,  for  <^at  matter,  I  can't  tell  at  all  very 
clearly ;  only  the  spot  where  this  was  found 
makes  it  more  likely  to  have  been  fired  at  the  first 
than  the  second.  Besid^  the  first  siege  is  far 
more  interesting  to  us,  sincb^  it  was  the  act  of 
British  Provincials,  and  an  exploit  quite  unparal- 
leled  in  its  way."  ; 

^  "  Why,  sir,  I  always  thought  that  the  second 
Biege  was   one  of  the  greatest  achievements  in 
war.    Were  there  any  generals  in  the  first  equal 
to  Wolfe,  or  any  other  men  equal  to  Boscawen    > 
and  Rodney,  and  Amherst  ? "  „       ' 

"  I'm  glad  you  put  it  in  that  Way,"  replied  the 
doctor.     "No;  in  the  first   expedition   there  are 
no  names  so  briUiant  as  these.    Pepperell  was  a 
merchant,  and  a  colonel  in  the  militia.     Whefcher 
that^akes  ^exploit  the  more  glorious  or/Lt, 
X  leave  you  io  judge.    But  this  much  is  trufe,  ^hat 
about  th^  first  siege  there  was  a  reckless  dash,  and 
-|^act^,^nd  romantic  heroism  which  we  cannot 
find  mHie  second.    Mind  you,  it  was  aU  the  work 


\. 


>»aJ  I 


almost 


[1  very      \ 

found 
tie  first 

is  far 
act  of 
Qparal- 


8IEGE  Of  LOUISBOUBO. 


305 


of  a  lot -of  farmers,  fresh   from  the  plough,  raw 
iDihtia,  and  how  they  could  get  such  a  plan  into 
their  heads  I  cannot  imagine.    I  have  often  thought 
that  It  was  their  very  ignorance  that  emboldened 
them.     It  was  principally  the  work  of  Massachu- 
setts,  though  the   other  New  England  Provinces 
^took  some  share  in  it.    The  idea  was  started  tljere, 
and  the  goiernor  took  it  up  very  earnestly.     So 
the;^  raised  four  thousand  men  and  a  fleet  of  thir- 
teerf  vessels,  whia^  was  a  wonderful  thing  to  be 
done  by  so  thinly  peopled  and  so  young  a  commu- 
nity.     At  first  they  intended  to  have  the  coopera- 
tion of  the  British  fleet,  but  the  commodoi-e'  de- 
clmed ;  and  it  was  only  after  he  had  sailed  Jo    ' 
Boston  under  orders  from  the  British^overnment 
and  found   the   NeW  England    expedition   gone,' 
that  he  followed  them,  and  so  took  part  in  it  •  for 
Governor  Shirley  and  the  New  England  militiamen^ 
resolved  to  go  on,  whether  the  commodore  helped 
them  or  not ;  and  so  they  did  go  on.    Bbt  it  was^ 
aU  right  in  the  end,  for  the  British  fleet  came  up ' 
with  them,  and  they  went  on  in  company  to  their 
destination. 

«  ^hey  landed  at  Gabaras  Bay,  south  of  Louis- 
bourg,  and  behind  the  town.    It  was  the  thirtieth 
of  April,  very  early  in  the  season,  cold  and  foggy.  . 
The  French  were  there  already  to  dispute  the      , 
landing,  butihey  outwitted  them  most  dex:terousIyv= 


It  was  cold,  and  boisterous,  and  ioggy,  as  I  have 
said,  and  never  did  any  men  have  harder  work  in 
20 


# 


806 


THE  BOYS  OP  GRAND  PRfe  SCHOOL. 


getting  their^  arms  and  etoros  on  shore ;  but  all 
this  was    accomplished   at^  last.    The    ndxt  day 
Major  Vaughn,  with  four  hundred  men,  went  past' 
the  city  up  to  tho  harbor,  and  set  on  fire  some 
.warehouses     They  made  a, great  smoke,  and  the 
soldiers  in  the   Royal  Battery,  one  of  the   chief 
works   spiked  the  guns,  and  fled  in  a  panic.     On 
the  following  day,  Vaughn,  with  thirteen  men,  came 
near  the  fort   and,  as  it  seemed  to  be  deserted, 
they  advanced  cautiously,  and  finally  entered  it. 
They  hadn't  any  flag ;  so  one  of  the  soldiers  climbed 
the  flagstaff  with  his  red  coat  in  his  teeth,  and 

Tnf  *^;,^*^*^«  «*-ff  ««  a  flag.  Vaughn 'then 
«ent  word  to  General  Pepperell,  'May  it  please 
your  honor  to  be  informed  that,  by  the  grace  of. 

-   ?w    T^  1  ^  ""^"'^^^  ^^  *^^'*««^  °^«°'  I  entered 
-the  Royal  Battery  about  nine  o'clock,  and  am 

waiting  for  reenforcements.'    But  before  reenforee- 
ments  could  come,  the  French  at  Louisbourg  had 
seen  them,  and  sent  a  hundred  men  in  boSs  to 
regain  possession.    Vaughn  and  his  men,  however 
were  ready  for  them,  and  the  little  band  gave  them' 
^o   warm  a  reception,  that  they  actually .  drove 
them  back,  and  held  possession  till  reenforcements 
came     Then  the  Royal  Battery's  guns  Were  re- 
mounted,  some  new  ones 'brought,  and  all  these 
wje  turned  upon  the  city,  and  this  battery  did    - 
not  a  httle  towards  the  final  capture. 
^"^It^^a  me  that  this  was  an  nncommonly  - 
plncky  thing  to  do,"  continued  the  doctor,  "and 


4 


^- 


.. 


(P\ 


PARMBRS  AS   FIGHTERS. 


807 


this  incident  Is  but  one  among  many.    The  ^hole 
si^ge  18  full  of  such  exploits.     The  character  of 
tM  besieging  arfiiy  was  odd  in  the  extreme.    The 
lads  worked  like  oxeq  at  their  duties,  toiling  away 
m  the  surf,  and  in  the  swaimp,  and  in  the  woods 
and  yet  at  the  same  time  presenting  an  appearance 
of  disorder  that  was  shocking  to  the  martinets 
^ho  were    present.     In   front    they  fought  like 
tigers,  but  in  the  rear  6ach  man  did  what  seemed 
right  m  his  own  eyes.    In  front  there  was  bom- 
'    Warding;  in  the  rear  frolicking,  racing,  wrestling, 
and  pitching,  quoits,  running  after  the  shot  from 

1^    7^'TJ  '°  *'  ^  ^'*  *^^  b«^°^y  *tat  was 
offered.    These  honest  lads  knew  nothing  at  all 

about  engineering,  or  regular  apprpaches.    The 

engineers  who  were   present   spoke  of  parallels 

and  zigzags ;  but  the  mihtiamen  laughed  at  what 

they  called  their  outlandish  gibberish,  and  made 

their  approaches  to  the  enemy  in  their  own  home- 

?"?o'^^^.^'''^  ^^  y°"  ^^""^  ^^^y  contrived  to 
do  It  ?    Why,  by  making  a  bold  advance  by  night 
and  throwing  up  an  earthwork,  and  intrenching 
themselves    before   morning.     In   this  way  they 
contmuea  fheir  advance,  to  the  utter  confusion  of 
the  professional  engineers.    The  fact  is,  the  au- 
dacity  of  pure  courage  meets  with  astoni^ing 
successes.    L^audace,,  Vaudace  toujoura  Vauda^ 
Ji^  a  French  saying,  which  was^exemplilied  beforj^- 
the  eyes  of  Frenchmen  throughout  aU  this  first 
siege.    The  commandant  at  Louisbourg  thought 


t 


308 


\ 

THE  BOYS  OP  GRANp  PR^  SCHOOL. 


T) 


there  was  an  array  of  thirteen  thousand  me/ be- 
siegmg  him,  and  all  the  time  the  army  amounted 
to  less  than  four  thousand  farmers. 

"And  80  the  men  carried  on  their  siege,  with 
their  valor  and  tl\eir  laughter,  their  heroism  and 
their  sport,  their  siifferings  and  their  mirth  ;  fight- 
mg  m  front,  frolicking  in  the  rear;  enjoying  life 
like  boys,  but  facing  death  like  men.    And  that 
was  the  way  they  took  Louisbourg.    When  the 
gallant  fellows  marched  into  the  stronghold  which 
they  had  captured,  then  fir^t  they  seemed  to  have 
an   adequate    idea  of   thefr   undertaking.     They 
looked  around  upon  the  formidable  batteries,  the 
granJte  walls,   the   intricate    gate-ways,  and   the 
mighty  ramparts,  and  were  half  appalled  at  the 
immensity  of  their  success.     And,  indeed,  the 
success  may  well  be  called  immense.     It 'was  a 
wonderful  thing,  when  we  think  who  it  was  that 
achieved  it.    The  success  is  all  the  more  striking 
when  we  consider  the  vast  preparations  that  were 
made  for  the  second  siege.    That  second  siege 
does  not  seem  to  me  to  be  at  all  equal  to  the  first 
m  point  of  romantic  interest ;  and  then  again,  the 
fact  that  there  was  a  second  siege  is  of  itself  a 
stigma  on  the  British  government,  for  so  readily 
giving  back  to  the  French  what  had  been  so  gal- 
lantly  won.    The  blood  of  those  brave  fellows  had 
aU  been  shed  in  vain;  th6  work  had^  t& bo  dono^ 


over  again,  and  more  blood  had  to  be  shed  before 
that  mistake  could  be  rectified.    But  when  that 


I 

i. 


A  GREAT  QUESTION. 


309 


mistake  was  rectified,  and  Louisbourg  was  taken  A 
second  time,  there  was  a  very  different  minister  at  ^ 
the  head  of  affairs ;  the  struggle  with  the  French 
was  begun  on  a  gigantic  scale,  and  did  not  end 
until  the  French  power  on  this  continent  had  been 
crushed  under  the  ruins  of  Quebec."      v 

With  these  wprds  the  doctor  ended  his  remarks ; 
and  as  it  was  now  late,  the  boys  all  retired  to  their 
respective  rooms,  where  they  passed  the  remainder 
of  the  evening  in  study. 

It  usually  takes  several  days  for  boys  to  settle 
down  fairly  to  school  work  at  the  beginning  of  any 
new  term ;  and  so,  after  this  vacation,  it  was  some 
time  before  the  school  work  could  be  fairly 
grappled  with.  The  remembrance  of  the  events 
of  the  past  days  was  strong  in  the  minds  of  all, 
and  for  a  time  prevented  that  application  which 
waB  desirable.  A  stronger  effort  than  usual  was 
required- in  order  to  force  the  mind  to  its  task,  and 
a  longer  time  was  needed  in  order  to  master  that 
task. 

On  the  third  day  after  the  school  had  recom- 
,4ienced,  the  boys  of  the  B.  O.  W.  C.  were  discuss- 
ing  the  important  question  of  the  disposal  of  their 
time  for  that  afternoon.  School  was  already  over. 
The  other  boys  had  scattered  in  different  direc- 
•tions ;  some  to  the  dike  lands,  some  to  the  fields, 


"and 


it 


some  to  the  woods 
Where 


shall  we  go,  boys?  "  asked  Bart. 


"  To  the  woods,"  said  Phil 


310     THE  BOYS  OP  GBAND  PBE  SCHOOL. 

"  To  Gaispereaux,"  said  Arthur. 

"  A  game  of  cricket,"  said  Tom. 

"  No,  boy^,»  said  Bruce ;  « let's  go  down  and  see 
what's  become  of  the  old  Antelope," 

"That's  the  idea,"  said  Bart,  "the  glorious  old 
Antelope.  Let's  have  one  last  look  at  her.  By 
this  time,  perhaps,  she  is  half  covered  with  mud. 
IJ^was  a  soft  place,  I  think,  where  she  was  lying, 
and  she  will  soon  be  buried  out  of  sight;  so  let's 
have  one  final  look  at  her  before  we  lose  sight  of 
her  forever." 

This  proposal  was  in  the  highest  degree  satis- 
factory to  the  other  boys,  and  soon  they  star^ 
down  the  road  to  the  place  where  the  Antelope 
Jay.    On  reaching  the  place,  they  found  that  it  was 
high  tide,  and  the  ilLfated  schooner  lay  in  the  same 
place  where  they  had  seen  her  last,  far  over  on 
her  side,  with  her  masts  pointing  downward.    The 
tide  had  risen  so  hrgh  that  it  covered  more  than 
half  of  her,  leaving  only  part  visible.    The  upper 
parts  of  her  masts  also  were  covered.    At  such  a 
melancholy  spectacle  the  boys  sto6d  for  some  time 
m  solemn  silence.     Another  schooner  lay  not  far 
away,  at  a  wharf,  but  they  felt  no  curiosity  about 
her.    All  their  •  thoughts  were  taken  up  with  the 
Antefope.  »       . 

"And  so  this  is  tfe  end  of  her,"  said  Bruce 
solemnly.^  ' 


9 


;. 


J^c /CK^;  as  CaptaiT Corbet  said^^^^ 


THE  ANTELOPE. 


311 


"  Who  would  have  thought  that  her  end  was  so 
near?"  said  Ai^mr. 

"  And  think,"  said  Tom,  "  of  the  old  craft,  after 
escaping  so  many  perils,  meeting  her-  fate  here  at 
her  own  wharf." 

■"It's  the  old  saying  realized/'  said  BmI;,  —  the 
sailor  shipwrecked  within  sight  of  home." 

"  But  I  say,  Bart,  she  doesn't  seem  to  have  sunk 
any  deeper  in  the  mud  — does  she  ?  "  said  Bruce. 

"  No,"  said  Bart.    « I  expected  by  this  time  that 
she  would  be  as  deep  as  that  in  mud,  not  in  water." 
"  She's  a%at,"  said  Tom. 
"  No,  she  isn't;  she  doesn't  move,"  said  Bruce. 
"  No ;   she's  perfectly  steady,  and  fixed  in  the 
mud,"  said  Bart..  "  There's  no  floating  about  her." 
"  She'll  break  up  soon,  I  suppose,"  said  Phil. 
to,  I  don't  know,"   said  Bart.     "If  she  were 
exposed  to  a  heavy  sea  she  would ;  but  here  in 
this  quiet  harbor  she  will  either  sink  altogether  in 
the  mud,  or  else  lie   rotting  away  for  years,  a 
moQrnful  and  melancholy  spectacle." 

While  the  boys  were  looking  thus  sadly  upon 
the  schooner,  a  man  emerged  from  the  cabin  of  the 
other  vessel  at  the  wharf,  and  going  ashore,  pro- 
ceeded as  though  on  his  way  to  the  village.  The 
boys  did  not  notice  this  man  till  he  was  close  to 
them,  and  then  there  was  a  shout  of  joyful  recog- 


'«  Captain  Pratt  1 "  ( 

Yes,  that  stout,  bluff,  red-faced,  jovial  captain 


.312 


THE  BorS  OP  OEAND  PB^  SCHOOL. 


Btood  there  before  their  eyes,  evinoing  as  much 

s^ht  of  h.m     He  wrung  their  hands  heartily  aU 
round,  laughmg  all  the  time,  and  asking  them  how 

than  f  d?'""!'  »<» -'i««'-  they  ran  fsho,^  ^Z 
taan  a  dozen  times  in  doing  so 

all  again.    I  thought  mebbe  I'd  see  some  of  you 

over  here    and   come   here   instead  of  g^L  t^ 

ano*er_ph.ce*here  I  could  have  got  a't^te^ 

The  captain  was  very  voluble,  very  noisy  and 

'  r'vefsefanf -T'  ^'  *'"'  ""^^  «-«  »  ^o"' 
to  vessel,  and  givS  an  account  of  their  adventures 

^h  lTrS> '  r  •    ^'"^  ^-^  ^°'  --l  he  h-stened 
SsofTuE'"'''^"'^''^"'"""'^'''"-''^ 

teL  i''*°^°'^y°"  that  wants  to  ^?    111 

take  any  ofyou,  or  all  of  you.    Come  now^ 

-a^::ratter.^r'-^*^-~ 

vnn     !?■    ^*''«P=JttESve  another  chance  with'"" 
you.    At  any  rate,  I'D  promise  you  a  bettor  ve?sel 


/ 
/ 


§ 
•^ 


'^i 


CAPTAIN  PRATT. 


than  the  one  you  had 
old  tubs  —    But 


on,  your  cruise, 
she  now. 


31^ 

Of  aU  the 


Corbet 


where 
got  a  tater  freight  ?  " 

At  this   question  the   boys '^  nothin<^    but 
ooked  silently  and  with  melancholy  glanced' ove 
the  stern  to  where  the  form  of  th  J  Antelope  wL 

'«'^K^f,,'''^''*^"**^^^«^"^«^«ked. 

That,"  said  Bart,  « is  the  gallant  craft  that  you 
just  asked  about -the  one  that  we  had  in  our 
cruise  — the  Antelope." 

he  walked  astern,  and  took  a  long  look  at  the 
schooner     The    boys  followed   him.     They  ,^a 


M' 


J  % 


su 


.  THE  BOYS  OP  GBAND  PB^  SCfiOOL.' 


r 


XXIII. 


^"Sir  "^^  ^-■- Captain  Praft  to  tke 
At  nsest-  Who'll  go /or  OaptainCorbh     , 


€ 


^tilJntt^  ^^^**  ^as  t^e  first  to  break  the 

«  XT  ,  "  ^^^'"  «^^^  b^'  at  last,  "whir's  Corbet?" 
"  He's  home." 

-  «  Home  ?    Why  don't  he  do  something  ?  " 
"  Why,  what  can  he  do  ?  " 
"Do?    Everything."  ■         ^ 

"  He  says  the  schooner's  lost." 
"  Lost  I " 

"  Yes."  ^   ' 

"  Did  he  say  so  himself?  "  ' 

"He  said  the  schooner  was  'a  gone  sucker.' 
inose  were  his  owi^  words." 

"  And  didn't  he  try  to  do  anything  ?  " 
,     "Jfo."  .         J'     "S^         , 

"  What  —  didn't  even  trv  ?  " 

"No."  -ri  , 

"hflf^kl^T^T^^''^''^''  ^^^  ^^^^  that  Cor"*" 
bet  hadSnuch  brains;  but  this  beats  everythiug. 


CAPTAIN  PRATT  IS  ASTONISHED. 


315 


To  go  and  let  his  schooner  go  to  destruction  in 
,     this  way,  and  not  even  try  to  save  her,  is  a  little 
beyond  what  1  exj^ected  even  of  him.    But  how 
.  V  did  it  happen  ?  " 

The  boys  told  him. 

"And  80,-^'  said  Captain  Pratt,  "he  dame  here 
next  day,  and  found  the  schooner  lying  here,  and 
did  nothing  —jest  sot  down  and  lamented  over  her 
Why,  what's  the  man  made  of?  He's  about  the 
only  man  I  „ever  he^rd  of  that  could  sit  stiU'and 
see  his  propferty  perish." 
"  But  all  the  people  in  the  village  thought  it  was 

t/u^IT''^^^  ^^  ^^'^  «^'  ^^^y  ^^^ieved  him. 

11  he  did  nothing,  why  should  they  try  to  do  any- 

thmg;?    If  a  man -won't  help  himself,  you  doA't 

•suppose  other  people's  goin   to  help  him  —  do 

"And  do  you  think,  after  all,  that  she  could  have 
been  saved  ?  " 

f  "  Course  she  could." 
"  And  she  wasn't  lost  ?  "  ^ 

"  Course  she  wasn't." 
"  Could  she  be  saveH  now  ?  " 
"  Course  she  can." 

"  What  1 -and  she  isn't  lost,  after  all  ?  " 
"  Course  she  isn't." 


^""^^^^  astotinding^nlelligehce  the  boys  looked" 
at  one  another  in  silent  amazement. 
"Why,  look  here,"  ^id  Captain  Pratt;  "wkt 


mKmft^^^ 


J 


/" 


316     THE  BOYS  OP  GRAND  PR^  SCHOOL. 

happened  to  that  there  schooner  o^en  happens  to 
others.  It's  a  mighty  unpleasant  thing  to  happen ; 
but  schooners  do  get  over  it,  after  aU.  IVe  helped 
friends  out  of  similar  scrapes,  and  have  sot  several 
schooners  right  side  up  in  worse  places  than  this. 
There's  nothing  so  very  bad  about  this.  The  posi- 
tion  is  a  good  one  for  working  in,  too ;  and  the  mud 
here  isn't  so  soft  as  it  is  in  other  places  around 
here  by  a  long  chalk.  But  whatever  got  into  Cor- 
bet's head  I  can't  imagine.     It  beats  me." 

"  Can  you  really  save  her  then,  after  all  —  you 
yourself?  " 

"  Course  I  can  —  only  not  single-handed.  I'd 
want  some  help." 

"  And  tfJiR  you  ?  "  > 

"  Course  I  will,  with  the  above*  proviso.  Cap- 
tain  Pratt's  a  man  that's  always  ready  to  help  a 
neighbor,  and  though  this  here  neighbor  doesn't 
seem  altogether  inclined  to  I^gjp  himself,  yet  I'm 
ready  to  do  what  I  can."        •  ^ 

At  the  generous  offer  of  diiptain  Pratt  -the  joy 
of  the  boys  was  inexpressible.  They  at  once 
poured  forth  a  torrent  of  questions  as  to  when  he 
could  begin  his  work,  and  where,  and  how,  and 
what  they  could  do  to  help  him,  and  whether  they 
could  do  anything  at  aU ;  which  questions  being  all 
a«ked  at  once  could  not  be  immediately  answered. 
\"^o^  see,  boys,"  said  Captain  Pratt,^"  I'll  need 
BQffiehelp." 

f'  We'll  do  what  we  can." 


. 


THE  ANTELOPE  TO   BE  SAVED. 


'317 


ppens  to 
happen ; 
e  helped 
;  several 
ban  this, 
^he  posi- 
the  mtid 
around 
nto  Cor- 

I  —  you 

d.     I'd 

P 

.     Cap- 
help  a 
doesn't 
y^et  I'm 

the  joy 
it  once 
hen  he 
w,  and 
3r  they 
)ing  all 
wered. 

II  need 


«  That's  right.  I'll  have  to  rely  on  you.  J've 
only  got  two  men  in  the  schooner,  and  we  can't  do 
all.  If  you  know  any  men  about  the  village,  send 
them  or  bring  t!hem  along.  Send  for  Corbet,  too." 
"  0,  we  want  to  have  it  all  done  without  ^ap- 
tain  Corbet  knowing  anything  about  it  till  it's  all 
'  over."        "  .  ^ 

'n 

"  Why  not  let  him  come,  and  take  his  share  in 
thewt)rk?" 

"0,  it  would  be  better  fun  to  get  him  down 
here,  and  let  him  see  his  vessel  aflpat." 

«  Fun,  you  call  it !  Wal,  I  won't  dispute  f about 
words.  At  any  rate,  it  ought  to  teach  him  a 
lesson." 

"  But  when  can  we  begin?  —  now? " 

"Now?"  replied  Captain  Pratt,  with  a  smile. 
"Wal— hardly — not  just  now,  I  should  say. 
You  see  the  vessel^s  partly  in  the  mud,  and  a 
good  deal  in  the  water^  and  it  would  be  rather 
difficult  to  get  at  her  so  as  to  go  to  work." 

" How  lotig  will  it  be  before  we  can  begin?" 

"  Not  till  the  tide  leaves  her." 

"That  will  be  after  dark." 

"  Yes,  this  evening ;  but  to-morrow  morning  the 
tide  will  be  out,  and  everything  can  be  done  then." 

"  But  then  we  shall  be  in  school." 

"  So  you  will.    Wpll,  it'll  have  to  be  managed 
-without  you.    But,  after  all,  you  won^t  be  Wanted^ 
till  the  evening.    My  men  and  I  can  do  all  the 
fixins.     We'll    get   everything  ready  when  the 


\ 


vi  .i\i 


Ii 


318 


THE  BOYS  OP  GRAND  Pb6  SCHOOL. 


tide  is  out,  and  then  in  the  evening,  when  you 
come,  you  will  be  able  to  help  jyithout  getting  up 
'  to  your  eyes  in  mud." 

"  0,  \#ell,  we'll  all  be  down." 
"How  many  can  you  muster?    A  dozen  boys 
like  you  will  be  enough." 

'♦0,  we  can  muster  more  than  that,  if  you  wish 
it.     We  will  bring  down  the  whole  school." 

"  All  right  then.     You  see  it  will  be  about  eight 
.  men's  work:     I  and  my  men  make  three,  and  you 
lads  ought  to  make  up  the  rest.     It'll  be  mostly 
pullin  that  you'll  be  wanted  for." 
^       "Pulling?"^ 

"Yes  — histin.  I'll  rig  some  tackle  for  you. 
Besides,  I'll  have  to  get  the  vessel  clear  of  mud  at 
low  tide.     There  can't  be  much  in  her  here." 

"  Why,  we  thought,  from  what  Captain  Corbet 
said,  that  by  this  time  she  would  be  sunk  so  deep 
that  she  would  be  half  buried  in  the  mud,  and  half 
full  of  it." 

^  "  Nonsense  I  The  mud  jii^t  #re  on  this  slope 
isn't  very  deep.  Six  or  eight  inches  of  mud  is 
about  all  she'd  sink  in.  Two  or  three  hours'  work 
will  clear  all  that  away,  and  then  all  that  is  left 
for  u^  to  do  is  to  get  her  right  side  up,  and  I'll  rig 
the  tackle  for  that." 

"  I  must  say.  Captain  Pratt,"  said  Bart,  "  it's  uh 

comir^only  good  in  you  to  take  so  much  time  and 

^trouble?^ 


"0,  as  for  that,"  said  Captain  Pratt,  "neighbors 


AT  WORK   ON  THE  ANTELOPE. 


319 


must  be  neighborly,  and  seafarin  men  most  so. 
Besides,  I  hain't  got  anything  in  particular  to  do 
to-morrow,  and  I'd  Ijfee  very  well  to  turn  a  hand  to 
this.  But  I  doh't  see  yet  why  Corbet  should  L 
and  be  such  a  precious  old  goose.  The  ves Jel 
am  t  worth  much,  but  she's  worth  settin  right  sik 
up;  that  I'll  maintain."    ,  6        T« 

The  captain  then  proceeded  to  explain  his  plan 
Of  action  to  the  boys  more  minutely,  so  that  at  last 
they  perceived  how  very  simple  and  feasible  it 
was,  and  wondered  now  that  Captain  Corbet  should 
have  given  up  his  vessel  so  readily,  without  mak- 
mg  any  efibrt,  where  an  effort  would  have  been  so 
very  easy. 

"1  understand  now,  I  think,'>  said  Bart, « why 
Captain  Corbet  gave  up  the  vessel.  It  was  the 
b^bby  He  wanted  to  be  able  to  devote  himself 
altogether  to  his  dom^tic  cares." 

After  spending  some  further  time  the^oys  took 
their  departure,  with  the  understanding  that  they 

"""r  ^nl^^T  ''^  *^^  ^°""^^°g  ^"^y  after  school, 
with  all  the  boys  -that  they  could  muster. 

By  seven  o'clock  on  the  following  morning.  Cap, 

tain  I'ratt  was  at  work  at  the  Antelope.    The  tide 

had  retreated  far  enough  to  allow  of  an  investiga- 

tion  of  her  condition,  though  the  water  which  had 

filled  her  at  the  last  tide  had  not  run  out  of  her 

.^laJrfit^ork^,^  to  bor^  a  few  auger  hoieTafow  -^ 

the  lower  part  of  her  deck,  to  let  all  the  water  run 

out.    The  Antelope  was  not,  after  all,  so  very  deep 


,//" 


320 


THE  BOYS   OP  GRAND   Pr6  SCHOOL. 


m  the  mtd  as  had  been  supposed  by  the  boys.     It 
had  covered  her  taffrail  some  inches,  but  this  could 
be  shovelled  away  without  any  very  severe  exer- 
tion ;  and  it  was  to  this  that  Captain  Pratt  and 
his  men  first  directed  their  energies.     Two  hour^' 
work  sufficed  for  them  to  clear  away  all  this,  after 
which  they  turned  their  attention  to  other  things. 
First  of  all,  as  the  water  bad  now  ru^  out,  Captain 
Pratt  stopped  up  the  auger  holes  tig^itly,  and  then 
.Jprepared  to  close  the  hatchways.    This  was  a  work 
of  extreme  difficulty.    The  hatches  which  belonged 
to  the  schooner  had  floated  away  long  ago,  and  it 
was  necessary- to  make  new  ones.    This  was  at 
length  done  by  working  up  some  stuff  that  was  on 
board  Captain  Pratt's  vessel,  which  they  then  pro- 
ceeded to  fasten  to  thehatchways  of  the  Antelope. 
The  positioQJn  which,  Ihe^Schooner  lay  made  it  ex- 
cessively difficult.     She  was  on  her  side  on  a  slope 
in  such  a  way  that  her  deck  overhung  them  some- 
what  as  they  worked,  so  that  they  labored  at  a 
great  disadvantage ;  however,  they  persevered,  and 
at  length  had  the  satisfaction  of  seeing  that  the 
neV  hatches  were  fastened  in  with  sufficient,  firm- 
ness to  suit  ^heir  purposes,  and  were  judged  to  be 
su^iently  %ater-tight  for  the  present  emergency. 
Tbe  worki  thus  far,  important  though  it  was,  had 
beSn  essentjially  preliminary;  and  now  the  ma- 
chinery had  Ito  be  arranged  for  the  immediate  work 
t  raieing^e  fallen  vessehto  her  proper  positionT" 


Captain  Pra 


■t  and  his  men  took  a  number  of  spars 


PREPARATIONS. 


321 


from  their  schooner,  and  selecting  three  of  them 
bound  their  en^s  together,  and  stood  these  three 
iiko  a  tripod,  as  near  to  the  schooner  as  possible 
and  close  by  the  foremast.     Three  more  botind  to! 
gether  in  a  similar  way  were  placed  near  the  main- 
mast    From  the  top  of  each  of  these  rtackle- 
block  was  suspended,'  and  a  line  also  was  passed 
Irom  each,  and  run  around  a  tree  which  stood  about 
a  dozen  yards  away  from  the  edge  of  the  bank. 
Another  line  passed  from  each  tackle-block,  and 
was  fastened  around  each  mast  of  the  schooner. 

Captain  Pratt's  design  was  now  evident. 
^  First  of  all  he  had  cleared  away  thd  mud  that 
had  co^tred  the  taffrail  of  the  8che%ner,  and  emp. 
tied  her  of  water  5  then  he  had  battened  down  the 
hatches  so  that  at  the  next  rising  tide  no  water 
^^  should  enter  her;  and  finally  he  had  rigged  ihe 
'  tecjcle-blocks  so  as  to  hoist  up  the  schooner  to  an 
erect  position  by  means  of  the  united  efforts  of  aU 
that  could  be  nmstered.    But  the  schooner,  as  she 
now  lay,  could  ^e  raised  by  such  means.    It 
was  necessary  to  h^additional  help,  and  that 
telp  was  to  be  found  in  ihe  rising  tide.    When  the 
water  should  rise  so  as  to  be  deep  enough  for  the 
schooner  to  float  in,  the  task  of  pulling  her  up  to 
an  erect  position  would  be  comparatively  easy 
Captain  Pratt's  labors  were  energeticaUy  per- 
— /omed,  and  finaUyyju&t^a  lie^^at^ompfeterHs" 
^  tackle  arrangements,  the  tide  began  to  flow  around 
the  schooner. 

21 


* 


1 


322 


In 


THE  BOYS   OP  fcfBAND   TUt  SCHOOL. 


I  water 


around 


began  to  look  anxiously 


another  h( 
still  another,  an 
and  Captain  Pri 
boys. 

Meanwhile  the  boys  on  the  hill  had  all  heard  of 
the  proposed  enterprise,  and,  from  the  largest  to 
the  smallest,  were  filled  with  iiitense  excitement. 
They  chafed  impatiently  against  the  restraints  of  i 
the  school,  fhd  waited  with  extreme  difficulty  for  / 
the  closing  hour.  At  last  it  came ;  and  then,  with 
loud  shouts,  and  screafns,,and  laughter^  the  whole 
school  set  off  at  |i  run  for  the  scene  of  action,  which 
they  reached  j^^et  as  Captain  Pratt  began  to  feel 
impatient,  -k^f 

"  ^^If^^'**'  shouted  the  gallant  captain,  as  he 
saw  th#a  pouring  down  towards  the  wharr  "Here 
you  a^,  —  and  lots  of  you,  too.    You're  just  in 
'  tim<too.    The  tide's  up,  the  tackle'  is  rigged,  and 
all  -We've  got  to  do  now  is  to  go  to  work.  *' 

^  The  boys  looked  hastily  around,  and  though  they 
icould  not  see  all  that  had  been  done,  yet  they 
"  could  comprehend  the  purpose  of  the  tackle  which 
they  saw  before  them,  and  had  no  doubt  what- 
ever that  the  undertaking  would  be  perfectly  suc- 
cessful. .  ^ 

"  Now,  boys,"  said  Captain  Pratt,  "you  can't  all 
bear  a  hand,  but  you  small  boys'll  have  to  be  sat- 

isfied  with  lookin  on.    I'll  choosfl  tha  biggest  to 

Tielp  me,  and  show  you  where  you've  got  to  pull." 
Saying  this,  he  selected  from  among  the  boys 


> 


„' 


\;.  ^ 


-aWle»•gliMb«M.,«Mlil,^.^ 


"up  she  rises." 


i 


323 


und  her ; 
it  height, 
y  for  the 

fieard  of 
irgest  to 
jitement. 
•aints  of 
culty  for 
en,  with 
le  whole 
n,  which 
I  to  feel 

1,  as  he 
"Here 
just  in 

red,  and 

ghthey 
et  they 
e  which 
t  what- 
tly  8UC- 


san't  all 
be  sat- 

S@fit  tft 
3  pull." 

e  boys 


Bruce,  Arthur,  Bart,  Tom,  Phil,  Jiggins,  Muckle, 
Sammy  Ram  Ram,  Johnny  Blue,  Billymack,  Bogud, 
and  Pat,  and  these  he  stationed  at  the  tackle  which 
was  attached  to  the  foremast,  while  he  himself  and 
his  two  men  we^t  to  the  lines  which  were  attached 
to  the  mainSnast. 

-  "  Now,  bdys,"  said  he,  « it's  no  use  to  puU  eveiy 
which  way.  Pull.,  together  as  I  give  the  word. 
Mind  — it's  a  long  puU,  a  strong  pull,  and  a  puU 
all  together.  I'll  sing,;  and  you  pull  at  the  chorus 
-^  that's  the  way." 

Saying  this,'  Captain  Pratt  burst  forth  with  a 
rude  song,  which  was,  — 

"  Up  she  rises ; 

Hi  ho,  cheerly,  men  I 
Heave  her  up ; 

Hi  ho,  cheerly,  men! 
All  together; 

ffl' ho,  cheerly,  men  I 
Heave  with  a  will;  -^ 

Hi  ho,  cheerly,  men ! " 

And  at  every  cry,  «  Hi  ho,  cheerly,  men,"  Cap- 
tain Pratt  and  his  men  gave  a  pull,  and  the  boys, 
watching  him,  pulled  also.  At  first  they  were  a 
little  irregular,  but  they  soon  caught  the  time,  and 
pulled  as  regularly  as  the  men.  And  thus,  with  a 
long  pull,  and  a  strong  pull,  and  a  pull  all  together, 
they  sought  to  raise  up  the  fallen  schooner. 
—  The  schooner feltlt.  A:rready  tie  mud^had  been" 
detached  from  its  grasp,  and  the  water  which  flowed 
around  formed  an  additional  assistant,  buoying  it 


324     THE  BOYS  OP  GRAND  PRf:  SDHOOL. 

up,  and  8«pportin^  it  as  they  pulled.     The  cling- 
ing mud  was  the  only  thing  to  contend  with.    The 
first  pull  loosened  its   hold .  somewhat,  the   sec- 
ond and  third  did  this  still  more,  and  finally  the 
fourth  raised  the  masts  above  the  surface  of  the 
water.     Again  and  again  they  pulled,  and  higher 
and  higher  came  the  masts,  until  at  last,  when  high 
up  m  the  air,  all  further  pulling  was  rendered  un- 
necessary  by  the  schooiier,  which  threw  herself 
upon  her  keel  in  the  water,  and  thus  righted  her- 
self  of  her  own  accord.     She  did  not  sit  very  fair 
It  IS  true,  for  the  mud  which  had  accumulated  on 
one  side  of  her  hold  gave  her  a  lop-sided  appear- 
ance ;  but  that  mattered  littU  to  the  boys.     It-was 
enough  triumph  to  them  that  she  was  afloat,  and 
so  they  celebrated  their  triumph  in  long,  loud 
cheers. 

Having  thus  righted  the  ^cfeponer,  Captain  Pratt 
prepared  to  secure  her  in  a  proper  manner. 

«  We've  righted  her,  boys,"  said  he,  «  and  now 
let  s  take  care  that  she  shan't  be  wronged." 

With  this  end  in  view,  lines  were  fastened  from 
the  schooner  to  the  shore,  and  Captain  Pratt  finally 
pronounced  her  free  from  danger. 

The  boys  now  crowded  around  the  Antelope  to 
Bee  what  marks  she  bore  of  her  late  calamities. 
There  she  floated  before  them,  her  masts  and  rig- 
jmgplastered  with^ud, yet  aflQat,.and  able  onco 


t  more  to  plough  the  seas  after  her  own  fashion. 

A  lew  among  them  managed  to  scramble  on  board, 


I 


'  ■  I 


V   . 


CAPTAIN  CORBET. 


325 


he  cling- 
th.  The 
the  sec* 
lally  the 
e  of  the 
I  higher 
len  high 
jred  un- 

herself 
ted  her- 
Bry  fair, 
lated  on 
appear- 

It"wa3 
Dat,  and 
g,  loud 

n  Pratt 

id  now 

d  from 
finally 

lope  to 
mities. 
id  rig- 
fronco 


tshion. 
board, 


I 


n 


.. 


the  righted  schooner.     The  scene  around  was  not 
particularly  attractive.     The  mud  still  clung  close 
to  the  deck  and  rigging,  and  even  Captain  Pratt's 
work  around  the  hatches  was  already  coated  over 
with  thick  slime.     The  scene  was  not  an  attractive 
one,  and  they  did  not  remain  there  long. 
•    "She  wants  cleanin,"  ' remarked  Captain  Pratt, 
vafter  a  long  survey, —  « that's  a  fact;  an  what's 
more,  she  wants  corkin"  — no  doubt,  — an  a  good 
coat  o'  tar.     She  wants  new  spars,  an  riggin,  an 
chains,  an  anchors,  —  a  new  deck,  too,  and  pumps 
wouldn't  be  out  of  the  way;  and  for  that  matter, 
while  they  weji^about  it,  they  might  as  well  put 
a  new  hull  onto  her.     By  that  time  she'd  be  fit  to 
carry  taters,  and  Corbet  might  make  a  little  money 
out  of  her.     But  it  would  cost  a  good  bit  to  do 
all  that,  and  so  I  dar  say  Corbet '11  sail  her  as  she 
stands,  — if  he  sails  her  at  all.    %Tter  all,  he  might 
as  well,  bein  as  she's  jest  ^s  good  now  as  ever  she 
was.     She  never  was  much ;  but  then  she's  been 
lucky,  and  did  well  epough  for  Corbet.     It  would 
be  kind  of  pnnateral  to  see  him  aboard  of  any  other 
craft  thah  this  here."    ' 

"  Boy^,"  said  Bart, «  something  ought  to  be  done 
in  honor  6f  this  great  occasion ;  and  above  all,  we 
ought  to  make  up  some  way  to  bring  Corbet  face 
to  face  with  his  restored  Antelope.  ShaU  we  tell 
^im  at  once,  and  let'  him  corny  down  7^^  —  ^ 

"  No,  let's  leave  it  till  he  finds  out.  Let's  give 
him  a  shock  of  surprise." 


326       ^HE  Boys  OP  grand  pb6  school. 

'  But  how  will  we  know  anything  about  his  sur- 
p^ise,  unless  we  are  here  on  the  spot  at  that  great 
looting  between  <:iorbei  and  his  lost  but  restored 
8(^hooner?" 

"0   we'll  have  to  manage  it  so  as  to  be  here 
men  he  comes  down  to  see  it." 
"We  OT^ght  to  arrange  some  plan."  ^ 

£«  Shall  we  let  him  know  what  has. happened,  or 
*et  him  to  come  down  here  for  something  else?" 

O,  we  ought  to  get  him  to  come  for  some- 
ling  else,  and  then  his  surprise  wiU  be  aU  the 
greater." 

^"  But  what  else?" 

"  That  we'll  have  to  think  over." 

"  We  ought  to  make  haste  about  it,  then." 

"Yes,  we  ought  to  decide  before  tho  end  of  the 
week." 

"  The  end  of  the  week  I    Nonsense  I    Why  not 
to-day  ?  "  , 

"To-day?" 

M)f  course.    Now's  the  time.    We  must  get  him 
^own  to-day,  while  we're  all  here.     If  we  don't 
;he  11  be  certain  to  hear  all  about  it  before  to- 
morrow from  some  one  else."  r 
"  Yes,  of  course."                   •       "^      I 
"Today's  the  time.",            .^         ^, 
"  Yes,  to-day.   We're  all  heref  I  want'to  see  the 
feting    I  wouldn't  lose  the  sight  for  anything." 

=**^  WeH  — -  what    almTt   -i^^   ^^i^^^z^^^r^^  i         .°  ^ 


.. 


^Wefl-wtat  Tteffl  we  geFW  i^^^ 


here?" 


O 


*-i»iiimmmimm- 


* 


PAT  GOES   FOR  THE   CAPTAIN. 


327 


bis  sur- 
t  great 
Jstored 


u 


0,  let 's  send  word  that  Captain  Pratt  wants  to 


see  him  on  very  particular  business. 
„   "  That  won't  bring  him,  especially  if  he's  got 
the  babby.     He  wouldn't  come  down  before  \7heu 
the  business  was  still  more  important."      •   ' 
^     "  We  couldn't  send  some  word  about  a  potato 
freight,  I  suppose."  , 

"No,  for  three  reasons;  first,  because  it  isn't 
the  truth;  secondly,  because  he  believes  that  he 
has  no  schooner;  and  thirdly,  because  .he  i^ 'mdif- 
ferent  to  potato  freights.",  ,  ,, 

"  Well,  what  shall  we  tell  him,  then  ? ''  .     ^ 

This  conversation  w^nt  on,  every  one  speaking 
^t  once^  but  no  one  being  able  to  tlj^nk,()f  aAy 
plausible  message  to  send  to  Captain  Corbet  which 
should  be  true,  and  at  the  same  time  not  disclose 
the  actual  facts.  At  last  they  opncluded  that  it 
was  impossible  to  make  up  such  a  meisage;  and 
as  the  time  was  passing,  thej^'determined  to  send 
for  him  at  all  hazards. 

But  who  Would  go  ? 

Pat  at  once  offered,  m.uch  to  the  relief  of  ajl  the 
others,  who  wanted  to  be  on  the  spot  whfen  Cap. 
tain  Corbet  arrived.  Pat,  however,  was-veiy  good- 
natured,  and  didn't  at  all  mind,  the,long  walk,  but 
promised,  to  be  back  in  an  hour,'aloiig  with  Captain 
Corbet.    •,  \^ 

"Don'fr.tglji  him  abont  ^h^sehoener.  nnlesg  yoOr- 


have  to,"  sai(<  Bruce. 
"Sure  an  what '11 1  tell  him,  thin? " 


9^ 


32*'   .THE  BOYS  OP  OBAND  Pb£  gCHOOL.       " 

iDle^s  you  have,  to  "  *^®  schooner, 

,,  ^""^  ^^  humbug,  you  know." 

A  ^A  '~'Tf^  ''''* ''  ^<^'«  °^«silf  that  won't "' 
And  with  these  words  Pat  took  hi  Jel^off. 


CAPTAIN  CORBET  AT  HOME. 


329 


repeat- 


'      XXIV. 

ArgummUetween  Pat  and  Captain  Corbet.  -  Meet. 
^ngJetJ.een  C^ain  CorUt  ^nd  iHe  Ant^opeZl 
Po,  alone  ^Uh  the  Baby.  -  Corlet  becJes  an 
J^^i  and  vanishes  into  a  Fog  Bank.  < 

«^AT  walked  briskly  and  in  due  time  arrived 

« Come  in,"  said  a  voice.      -  • 

He  entered,  an<J  found  himself  face  to  face  with 
the,  one  whom  he  wished  to  see.  The  aged  nlvt 
gator  was  seated  near  a  cradle,  gently  tiltil  thl 
ropk-  with  his  foot,  and  thns  giving  C  t'eaS    ' 

on  Corbet's  n^Id  countenance,  which  deenened 
""  m™'lr  "'T'fr  "'  "«  -ogni-d  Pat'      "^ 

Imdehghted-tosejeyou.    Take  a  cheer."  ^' 

Thank  ye,  kindly,"  said  Pat ;  "  but  it's  a  hurry 

Ir-^J.nd  I've  jist  brought  a  message  fo,  y7. 


"The  boys?"  | 

"  Yis.    They  want  you  at  the  wharf> 


;**, 

•'■^r 


330 


A, 


\-: 


THE  BOYS  W  GBAOT)  PB6  SCHOOL. 


"  Me  ?  " 

"  lu  '  /*'"  *^^'°  *^  1®^  you  they  are."  ^ 
rpn    ,^^^°^«-^y'i  to  see  me  at  the  wharf?" 
repeated  Captain  CorLt,  sJovvly 

"It's  J^at   same  tiey  are   doin,  and  they  sint 
me  to  brihg  you  dowi  "  ^ 


"  Wal,  that's  a  pit^ 
"  I'm  railly  pained. 


,  now,"  said  Captain  Corl,et. 

Bee  the  old 'oman's  fut''.'t/  'f  ^  ^'^     ^"*  ^^" 
^Arr,  +1   I,    .     ^"^  r">  gone  to  see  a  nevev  of 
hern  that's  jest  tooddown  with  the  influenzT  an 
I  m  alone,  ani  got  to   ake  car'  of  the  babby."  ^' 
Ah,  sure  now  ad  ye  must  go,"  said  Pat  pp 

<wngiy.       Look  ai  me  ;  sure  an  didn't  I  run  all 
the  way  „p  from  the  Uarf  for  ye  " 

"Wal   railly  now,  I'd  do  anythin  to  oblige  the 

ro;^r  totetefc'r™^-     ""  ""**  "^^  *"« 

"Sure,  an  it's  for  tnatthers  av  the  greatest  im 

portance  intoirely,  so  it  is."  '  ^®^^®'*  ^°^- 

"  But  thar's  no  u^e  for  me  to  go  down   I  tell 

you     You  go  down,  M  get  themfo  come X  . 

Och>  sure  an  the  businiss  won't  allow  thim  f^ 

\come  up  at  all,  at  all.^'  a^^w  tHim  to 

_  "  0,  yes,  it  will.     'fTain't  likely  they  have  anv 
:^l^:^^iT^^  bet^nsacted^ 


on  the  wharf  "said  P«rZ      T  °^*^««acted 
,     r  -7       '    ^^  *^^*'  earnestly.    <at»a  on  thft 
wharf  It  mus^e  done,  so  it  is." 


mmMm 


/ 


"the  babby." 


I  , 


331 


^^'  The  wharf?  I  don't  see  that  exactly;    What  is 
the  business  ?  "  / 

(      "Why,  why  — it's  — it's  a  kind  av^  — a— tis- 
timonial,  sure ;  an  there  you  have  it."  / 
.  "  A  testimonial  ?  —  railly  —  wal,  noi,  that's  rail 
kind.    But  couldn't  the  boys  come  i/p  here  — or 
postpone  it?"  / 

"  Sorra  a  bit  of  that  same  culd  they  do,"  said 
Pat.  "  It's  all  got  to  be  done  o;i  the  wharf,  and 
this  evenin  so  it  has."-  / 

"  On  the  wharf? "  ,  /  ,     * 

"  Sure,  it's  jist  that  same,  so  it  is." 
"  Ail  this  evenin  ?  "  / 

"  Sorra  a  time  else." 

"  What  kin  it  be  ?  "  said  Captain  jQorbet,  medita- 
tively,  lost  in  wonder  at  the  mystery  that  sur- 
rounded  Pat's  message.  He  leaned  his  Mad  upon 
his  hand,  while  his  foot  still  jogged  the  cradle,  and 
eat  for  a  tijne  lost  in  thought. 
But  Pat'fe  impatience  could  not  endure  the  delay. 
"0,  code  along,"  said  he;  "sure  it's  aU  one  to 
you."  ^r     , 

"  But  l/can't,"  said  the  captain.    «  You  foreet 
thebabb/."  ^ 

"  I'll  tell  you  what  to  do,"  said  Pat,  as  a  bright 

thought' struck  him ;  "  bring  the  baby  wid  you."       • 

Captain  €!orbet  stared  fo^  a  moment  at  Pat  in 

silent    horror.     .-^:.r^rr..r^r.:=...^.^ „ ,. ^:.^^..=.:.^ 


"Whatl"  he  cried,  "bring  Mm  with  me!  Ex- 
pose  that  per-recious  head  to  the  evenin  damp  I 
Why,  d'ye  think  I'm  made  of  iron  ?  " 


332 


THE  BOYS  OP  GRAND  Pr6  SCHOOL. 


/ 


.    go  fast  enough."  '  ^®  ^ 

whlfrat?"""',''""'    ^y,  didn't  you  «y 

"  Not  me,  sure.'^T 
"  Yes,  you  did." 
"  Niver  a  bit  of  it."  / 

'' You  sai4  it  was  a  testimdtiial." 
Well,  an  did  I  tell  you  what  kind  of  a  teeti 
monial  it  wor  ?    Not  me." . 
"  Wal,  tell  me  now."/, 

"  Will  ye  go  if  I  do  ^" 
"  How  can  I  go  ?  " 

»„^  ^^Mu"'"  °°*  P»'''"«-    I'll  teU  yon.    Wait 

the  nljht .'     "'  ^T"''  """•    "  "■-'  Ke  done 
"What?" 

"  Sure,  the  businiss." 
"  ?™  *«««"?°°i'J  ?    Why  can't  it  be  kept  ?  " 


s«^..w.-rsnETS 


[i. 
!espair  of 

resuming 
was,  ye'd 

you  say 


a  testi. 


t's  aisy 
Wait, 
3  done 


?" 

3  thing 
t 

upon 


PAT  AND  THE  BABY. 


333 


"  I'm  not  allowed  to  tell,"  said  Pat,  mysteriously. 

"Why,  raillyl   Why,  how  extra  pftrtic'lar  I     But 
come  now,  tell  a  leetle  of  it." 

"  I  can't,"  said  Pat;  «  but  if  you  want  to  know, 
ye  must  go  to  the  wharf" 

"Somethin,"  mused  Captain  Coi^bet.  « Some^ 
thin  you  say  that  PJl  vally  nex  to  my  feabby. 
Why,  what  upon  airth  kin  it  be  ?  I  declare  I 
never  was  so  cur'ous  in  my  huU  Ufe  ;  an  you  wun't 
tell."  ,^  • 

"  No,"  said  Pat. 

"  Wun't  ?  "     "      '\ 

"  No."  '":  ; 

.    "  Honor  bright  ?  "     * 

"  Honor  bright." ,  " 

"  Wal,  what  En  I  dew?"  cried  Captain  Corbet.  ^ 
•'  I  can't  leave  th|  infant's  bedside.    I  couldn't  take 
ten  steps  away,  and,  leave  him  here.    What  hin  I 
do?" 

"  I'll  tell  you,"  cried  Pat,  U  last,  after  some 
silence,  and  with  anrair  of  desperate  determine 
tion.    « I'll  stay  wid  him,  and  you  go  down." 

"FoMstay?''    , 

"Yis  mesilf:  He's  asleep.  He  won't  wake. 
rU  rock  hJB6.  It'll  be  all  right.  And  you  hurry 
down,  aU/hurry  back."      ^ 


JEat 


Cap^m  Corbet  looked  a  long  time  in  doubt  at 
■  Vmeditating  ov^€    ..^     .       , 


singular'  proposf^ 


/Wal,"   said  he,  at  last,  "rail^  — it's  desput 
indin  you— but  — afeyther's  feelins  — air  des- 


iWiH 


334 


THE  BOTS  OP  GEAMD  Put  SCHOOL. 


I- 


put    deFicate    things  -  bat    as    you    eay-ha', 
aseep-bress    his   pooty   faoe._an   Wll   si 

his  .nfant  slumberl    And  I'm  desput  cur'ousll 
and  so  _  why,, ami,  f  declar'  ef  I  hain't  It  hai? 
a  m.nd  to  go-iJjt  to  please  the  boys.''    ^   ' 
i>o,"   said  I^t,   earnestly;  "an  mak*  )>«»»• 

Am?rgi„",r    Nonsense,    Won't^i  be  here? 

CoZrltT''^"-'^''^^'"'''''"''^'"''' 
"  Sure  an  I  will." 

"  An  watch  him  ?  " 

\lt^CT\  ^"'  '"'"  ""  he'r  8le.pin  like  a 
iamb,  he'Jl  need  no  care  or  watchin  " 

"  An  you  think  T  railly  may  ventooi-   ifi«f  +. 
please  the  boys,"  v        ^''^°'^'  J®«*  *« 

"  0  yis,  av  coorse ;  on'y  don't  wait  any  longer  » 
Captam  Corbet  drew  a  deep  breath,  as  thfu^h 


^!f^^f  ^  "^^'^^^    J'»  "^^ke  the  plunge" 
But  be  kerful-  watpb      Ar.  ^f  u      j.-  P^""g6« 

^«riui,  watcn.    An  ef  he  stirs,  rock  him; 


^ 


flHMBl^«@U^ 


CAPTAIN  CORBET  AND   PAT. 


335 


'\ 


^ 


-^^ 


an  ef  he  stirs  more,  rock  him  harder ;  but  ef  he 
Btirs  more,  so  as  to  be  likely  to  wake,  you"  must 
stag  to  him;  an  ef  he  actilly  doos  wake,  then  you'll 
^  *^  *^^^2SigJ?P^nd  liuss  him.  Ef  he  still  con- 
tennoos  *9|^^^and  here  the  captain's  voiee  fal- 
^^^^^>  —  ^^^^mj^.^a\k.\ip  and  down  willi'hii^j 

®^  ^°  ^^^^"^KJr"'  ®^"^  ^^^  P^^  ^^**^  *^®  fe»i- 
toor;  and,$P^ef  nothin  else'll  quiet  him,  tKr'» 
his  bowl  an  his  bessed  supper  on  the  table,  an  you 
must  feed  him.  But  how  can  I  "bar  to  leave  him, 
and  trust  all  this  to  you  —  ?  "  '    . 

"  0,  nonsense  1"  cried  Pat;  "  sure  an  he  won't 
wake  at  all,  at  all;  an  if  he  does,  I'll  do  every- 
thin  that  you  8ay,^an  more  by  the  same  token." 

"Youwill?" 

"Av  coorse," 

"Then  I  think  I  may  ventoor,"  'said  Captain 
Corbet.  * 

"  Do,  an  be  quick.  Ah|^|tv,  none  of  that," 
cried  Pat,  as  the  fond  fatKF  stooped  ovey  the 
cradle  of  his  infant.  "Sure  ye'U  wake  him,  so  ye 
will.     Hurry  ofi:^' 

"  Wal,  I  was  just  goin  to  kiss  him --^  but  p'aps 
Pd  better  not,  —  so  Pll  go." 

And  with  these  words  Captain  Corbet  tore  him- 
self away  from  the  cradle,  and  left  the  house.  , 
^ '  He  walked  with  rapid  strides,  yet  his  breast 
=was^  -  -        *          •      '•       -    


^^^y  t»  contending^  feeling^.  On^  the  onT 
hand,  he  was  exceedingly  curious  to  know  what 
it  was  that  the  J^oys  had  foj:  him,  and  he  was  also 


%. 


,.^mi^m>-^ 


33e 


THE  BOYS  OP  GRAND  PB^  SCHOOL. 


ID 


anxious  to  gratify  them ;  but  then,  on  the  other 
hand  he  was  disturbed  about  his  baby,  and  full  of 
^     lear  lest  some  evil  might  befall  him  during  his 
absence     His  progress,  which  at  first  was  rapid 
soon  dackened,  and  then  grew  slower^  and  finally 
-      I  T^l  ="ogeth^r.     He  turned  irresolutely,  and 
looked  back.    But  all  was  still.     This  enpourWed 
h.m  to  resume  his  journey.     Again  and  again  he 
,    turn<ffl  and  looked  back,  and  each  time  he  was 
reassured.    At  last-he  descended  the  hill,  and  his 
home    could  no  longer  be  seen.    Even  then  he 
stopped,  and  looked  back  several  times,  as  though 
he  expected  that  a  cry  from  his  deserted  infant 
might  meet  his  ears.     But  no  cry  came,  and  he 
went  on     At  length  he  came  to  the  village,  and 
findmg  himself  thus  far  committed  to  his  journey 
he  concluded  that  it  would   be   better  to  make 
haste,  so  as  to  be  back  as  soon  as  possible.    With 

ZXr,'"  "'  "''  "*  '  ""'  ^'"'  ^o™  --"^'1 

Scarcely  had  he  made  his  appearance  when  a 
w,d  Che*  arose.  At  first  the  captain  could  see 
nothing  but  a  crowd  of  boys,  who  gathered  round 
hrm,  shouting  and   cheering.     Partly  inquisitive 

•and  partly  bewildered,  he  looked  from  one  to  the 
other  with  inquiring  yet  puzzled  glances,  and  said 

•not  a  .word.    But  the  boys  did  not  keep  him  lone 

frm»^  and  batf^^teCliair^FtypH  Wirr,  ««„,„« j  x.  ., 


^^■mi^ai^bai^fee/liairWged  tim  onward  to  the 
river  ba|k,  where  full  before  him  floated  the  An- 


1 


|r, 


CAPTAIN  CORBET'S  SUBPRISK  3^7 

telope.    Even  then,  perhaps,  Caj^in  Corbet  miVhf 
.       not  have  noticed  the  schooner,  ^d  it  not  been  for 
the  cries  and  gestures  of  the  boys 

The  effect  of  this  sudden  and  unexDP^fprl  .•  i,. 
^  he  realized  it.  „ea„i„,,  vvaT™  ^t' 
He  started  he  stared,  he  rubbed  his  eyeriS 
ooked  at  the  boys,  then  at  the  AntelopeXn  at 
he  boys  agam,  and  then  once  more  at  the  Ante 

visibly.     He  burst  into  tears-   and  tliAr.  *,      • 

"We  did  some  of  it,"  said  Bart;  "but  it  was 
Captam  Pratt  that  did  the  most  of  it  If  a  hal^ 
been  for  l„m,  it  couldn't  have  been  done  at  all'- 

Tat„   "  ?  ."""    ^'""^  '■'«  benevolent  sperrit: 
Tak    metoh.m.    Wharishe?    I  want  to  W 


•■V 


"  0,  he's  up  in  the  village  somewhere." 
An  so  this  was  the  occasion  you  wanted  me 
22 


iOiiMi^i' 


^.y^lii&ijlpiiirii  I  milll  iillil>ji.r>. 


I- 


»•'• 


338 


THE  BOYS  OF  GBAND  PRt   SCHO 


.  .for?  WaI,raiIIy.  And  here's  the  AntelLe- an 
.  Here  am  I  gazing  upon  her  well-remembereUform  I " 
-i  Captain  Corbet  spoke  these  words  meditatively 
and  then  made  an  effort  to  climb  on  board  ■  This' 
he  soon  succeeded  in  doing.  Thereupon  he  f^^ 
ed  his  eyes  upoil  the  schooner,  examining  her  in 
every  part.  «^  ^ 

"Muddy,"  said  he,  solemnly.  -  Muddy, yet  lively, 
and  ht  for  more  vyges,  so  soon  as  you  get  riffled 
lip  and  repaired."  ^^ 

_    "  BoyS'"]"®  continued,  after  a  long  silence,  stand- 
mg  on  the  deck  of  the  Antelope,  and  addressing  his 
young  friends, -"boys,  you  onman  me,  an  the 
aged  Corbet  relapses  intew  a  kine  o'  second  child- 
hood, for  I  hed  given  her  up  for  lost.    I  hed  seen  in 
her  ruination  a  warnin  to  me  that  I  was  to  desert 
'    forevermore  the  rolhng  ocean,  and  confind  myself 
^  -to  hum.     But  this  here  day  an  hour  shows  me  that 
1  have  vyges  yet  in  store,  an  my  feelins  now  are 
ony  purest  jy.    For  the  Antelope  bore  me"  o'er  the 
brmy  deep  for  over  twenty  year,  in  sickness  and 
health,  with  taters,  an  I  always  counted  on  our 
hivin  an  dyin  together.    Her  loss,  when  I  thought 
Uer  lost,  was  terewly  a  sunderation  of  my  heart- 
strings.    I  felt  her  dume  was  mine.    But  now  I 
'Bee  her  raised  up  out  of  her  muddy  bed  of  mortial 
Illness  an  brought  up,  and  set  right  side  up,  to 
rt^_  *^^  ^**«^«  like  a  creetur  of  life,  with  taters. 


Boy«,  amotion  overcoiBes  me. -Boys,  ado^  r-Boys: 
other  feehns  sweU  within  my  busum.    "Boys,  thar 


" 


PAT  AND  THE  BAbR  339 

is  one  af  homo  that  demands  my  retnm,-one 
known  to  most  of  ye,  -  about  whom  I  feel  dread- 
ful  anxious,  bem  as  I've  ben  and  left"  him  in  onex- 
perienced  hands,  an  me  qpt  knowin  but  he's  cryin 
his  perecious  eyes  out  this  moment.  Boy^,  adoo  I 
lou  have  a  parient's  gratitood  ! " 

Witmiiese  words  the  venerable  Corbet  left  the 
schooner,  and  after  shaking  hands  with  a  few  of 
them,  hurried  home  ag  fast  as  he  could,  while  the 
bbys  feehng-ftfow  that  their' work  was  at  length 
complete,  returned  to  the  school  \,        *^ 

^^Meanwhile  Fat  had  been  left  alone/with  the 

Pat  knew  nothing  whatever  about  the  care  of 
babies,  and  had  volunteered  the  charge  of  this  one 
out  of  the  kmdnes*  of  his  heart,  never  supposing 
that  he  would  be  called.on  to  display  any  of  the 
quahties  of  a  nurse.  Itf  this,  as  in  many  other 
cases,  ignorance  jnade  him  rash  in  his  enterprise 

For  about  half  an  hour  All  went  oa  well;  and 
Pat,  after  joggmg  the  cradle  for  a  little  while,  grew 
tired,  and  amused  himself  ^h  looking  around  the 
room.  ' 

But  from  these  pursuits  he  was  roused  by  a 
movement  on  the  part  of  the  baby.  Back,  then,  he 
darted  to  the  cradle,  with  a  vague  fear  that  the 


of  lulhng  the  wakeful  infant  back  again  to  the  land 
01  sleep,  only  roused  him  the  more. 


imm»- 


m 


34a     THE  BOYS  OP  GRAND  Pr6  SCHOOL. 

Pat,  therefore,  cherishing  in  his  memory  aU  of 
Captain  Corbet's  directions,  did  as  he  had  been 
ordered,  and  rocked  the  cradle  harder. 

But  the  baby  only  grew  wider  awake,-and  beffan 
to  murmur  dnd  fret. 

^  "  Worool-thif  1  Diver  do,  at  all,  at  all,"  said 
Fat.  «  He  towld  me  to  sing  if  it  grew  worse,  -  so 
sing  it  is,  and  here  goes." 

Whereupon  Pat  began  a  wild,  shrill,  crooning 
chant,  about  some  personage  named  Biddy  Malone 
whose  eventful  history,  however,  he  was  not  able 
to  complete,  for  the  baby,  waking  wide  up,  began 
to  cry  very  vociferously. 

/,  ^  "  Sure  an  it's  all  up  wid  me!  "said  Pat.  "What- 
iver  ril  do  not  a  one  of  me  knows,  at  all,  at, all. 
He  said  if  he  got  worse  to  take  him  up.  I  don't 
know  about  it,  — but  — how  and  iver,  here  goes." 

So  stooping  down,  with  the  best' intentions  in*, 
the  world,  Pat  took  the  baby  up  in  his  arms,  and 
put  it  on  his  knee,  in  the  hope  that  this  plan  might 
succeed  m  sending  it  off  to  "sleep. 

But  it  didn't  succeed  any  better  than  the  other 
plans,  for  whether  the  baby  was  fastidious  and 
didn't  hke  Pat's  treatment,  or  whether  Pat  handled 
him  too  roughly,  or  whether  he  was  hungry  and 
wanted  food,  or  ill  and  wanted  nursing,  —  which- 
ever  of  these  it  was,  —  certain  it  is  that  the  mo- 
ment Pat  took  him  up  he  sent  forth  a  cry  that 


ring, 


•uck  terror  to  Pat^  soul,  and  lasde^fche  welkin 


m 


M 


M^ifj^i^liljijlg^l^^ 


.'  ». 


'4. 


«P 


u 


PAT  IN  TROUBLE.' 


^ 


341 


'Och,  murther!  murther!"  said  Pat  "What 
iver'll  I  do  at  aW  wid  it?  An  me  to  be  here  fo'r 
mor^  than  two  good  hours  !  Whis-s-sh,  then,  I  tell 
ye  I  i  Arrah,  will  ye  niver  be  quiet?  What'll  I  do 
at  aU,  at  all.  Sure  an  he  said  to  walkabout  wid 
It.  Ahat  same  lai,  do  this  minute." 
'  Scj  Pat  rose  from  the  chair  "and  proceeded  to 
about  the  room.     But  the  new  treatment  did 


walk 


It  is 
than 


— -"  ""^  "ovv  neatmeni;  aia 
u  ?t    u    I"  *^®  contrary,  the  baby  cried  harden 


./7  —  ""'"J  vncu  imraen 

to  be  feared  that  Pat's  handling  was  rougher 
What  the  baby  had  been  accustomed  to,  and 
that  Pats  patience  being  quite  exhausted,  , pre- 
-vented  any  gentleness  in  his  treatment  of  his  ten- 
der  charge.  And  so  it  was  that  the  baby  bawled 
and  Pat  groaned,  and  was  completely  at  his  wit's 
end. 

.  » . 

.    "  0<!h    but  it's  nearly  dead  an  kilt  I  am,"  cried 
Pat   at  last.    "What  was  it  that  l^aid  to  do 

°r  ;     ^-?\    ^"^  ''°^'  ^"^  ^°°^k  ™  furniture 
about^  so  Ife  d,d.    It's  the  racket  that'll  soothe  him 
—  deed  an  it  is,-^and  that's  what  Plf  thry  " 

•      With  this  Pat  l^n  another  song,  a Jitile  liv^ 
her  than    he^ast ;  and  walking  ^l^t  Ihf  room,  h« 
began  to  knock  upon  thejurnituif  He  upset  twtfi 
chairs  he  beat  upon  a  tin  pan,  he  rapped  the  poker  , 
a^msti  the  stove-pipe,  he  rattled  the  leaf  of  the  5 
teble,  he  kicked  over  a  small  table  aqd  several 

^jtQQls,  Jj©  ronad^tia^ket^es^boufr-tfaraoorrTOtl^r 
last  the  room  presented  an  appearance  that  n^ade 
It  seem  as  if  a  mad  buU  had  been  there  kicking   " 


0 


.^tmm 


indiscri 


,  gbanII  pb6 

m 


'^  nQtwithsta^ldfl^g  Jg 


^i 


,^  forts,  M  ootildL  hot  s^ 
ariH^ad^  beeii  silent  for  ^iMf-^ifioi^i 

.stonisfeilipnt,  liow  fc%^lou|^  wil^^t,  Wi 

jon^te  d^iea,  till  the  noise  from  those 

drowned  the  uproar  that  Pat  wns 


iM> 


■:i^'\ 


^$-T>  r  yt^^murthiBr  ! "  cried  Pat^Jg^t  last.    «  Sure  it's 
^olhered  I  am^  and  dead  batel^tirelj.    Whativer 
^tl'lldo  now  it  ud  take  more'n  mf-to  tell.     Sure  an 
IVe  made  all  the  noise  I  know,  l^hat'll  I  do  now? 
There's  the  feed  ;  he  said  so,  he  dit,  an  I'll  thry  it." 
It  wds  Pat's  last  resort,  and  h©  tried  it.    The 
bowl  was  there  where  Captain  Corbet  had  pointed 
it  out.     Pat  seized  it, -and  taking  the  sprfon,  offered 
it  to  the  baby.    But  the  baby  treated  his  offer  with 
scorn.    He  opened  his  mbuth  indeed,  but  it  was 
only  to  let  forth  a  yell  so  loud,  so  long,  and  withal 
so  passionate,  that  the  spbon  fell  frbm  Pat's  hands 
upon  tho  floor,  while  the  bowl  which  he  had  been 
trying  to  balance  on  his  knee,  followed  with  a 
crash. 

Pat  jumped  up,  still  holding  the 
wildly  about,  singing  at  the 
renewing  the  useless'  racket, 
an^^l^ked  wildly  down^ 
BOMMgns  of  Captain  Corb; 
yetela|$sed/6uffi'cient  for  hi 


^  : 


Then  he  returned  to  the  roo 
cradle  again,  then  walking,  an 
and  thgn  once  more  walkitig. 


iby,  and  walked 

is  voice,  anci 

it  to  the  door 

oping  to  see 

:h  time  had  not 
ihia  schoonei^ 


V. 


he  tried  the 
Sh  the  cradle, 


t 


h^^^r-S^kl^ 


■-.^ 


r^Y' 


■«■> 


f 


*I"P       I     ■IIW 


^41111. 


■MM 


•'i^'P 


■^ 


t' 


*■ 


MRS.   CORBET  RETURNS. 


343 


.1 


So  the  time  passed. 

At  length,  on  looking  down  the  road,  he"  saw  a 
female.     She  was  walking  up  it,  and  Would  soon 
come  near  the  house.     On  this  woman  he  hung  all 
|iis  hopes.     Perhaps  she  was  Mrs.  Corbet  herself. 
The  thought  filled  him  with  joy.    If  npt,  if  she 
was  a  stranger,  he  determi^ed-  to  arrest  hqr,  and 
make  her  soothe  the  frantic  child. 
.      The  house  stood  back  froii^  the  road  about  fifty 
yards.    Pat  watched  through  the  window  the  mo- 
tions  o/  the  approaching  female,  himself  unseen. 
She  drew  nearer.«.%t  last  her  ears  caught  the 
cries  of  the  l^iby.    Her  brows  contracted.     She 
T^alked    faster.      She    reached    the    gate.      She 
turned  in, 

"It's  herself!  "cried  Pat. 
^?,  5^  sprang  to  the  cradle,  and  laid  the  screaming 
chifd  inside..     Then  he  sprang  to  the  back  door, 
and,  closing  it,  stood  outside,  peeping  through  the 
key-hole  to  see  the  result. 

The  woman  entered  with  Surprise  on  her  face. 
,^  look^:l^l  around.  She  called  "Corbet!  Cor- 
m%4'"  fh^ri  8^ry  voice.  But  no  Corbet  replied. 
Then  she-^e^lb  the  cradle,  and  took  the  baby  in 
heFayms,  looking  aigtind  with  wonder  in  her  eyes. 
Then  she  soothed  tlif  baby^iwrhich  speedily  became 

jat'8afea.^g^fe^^"^^ blattered  Pafer  "H;?fl  her^^ 
afe  !     I'nLfree  I    J'll  run  1    Hurroo  !  " 


self!    I'm 
And  wit 


"^brds  |ie  sapped  away,  and 
|r.^topped  till  he  r^a^M^biKo^n  ro6m»,v. 


'm 


f.  V 


.mmmi 


J 


341 


THE  BOYS  OP   GRAND   Pb4  SCHOOI,. 


That  evening  the  boys,  on  their  return  to'  the 
hill  were  very  curious  to  know  how  Pftt'had'fared 

r  K  fl  l^lH  ^"P**'"  ^•"•''«'  had  hinted  that 
he  had  left  h.s'child  under  Pat's  care,  and  many 
conjectures  had  teen  made  as  to  the  success  of 
the  new  nurse.    At,  however,  shunned-the  public 
.  eye  for  that  evening,  so  that  it  was  not  until  the 
foMowjng  day  that  they^had  a  chance  of  asking 
h.m  about  h.s,  experience.    At  first  Pat  fought 
then,  off,  and  returned  evasive  answers ;  butgrtd- 
naUy  he  disclosed  all.    The  curiosity  of  the  boys 
then  turned  towards  the  meeting  that  may  have 
token  place  between  the  indignant  Mrs.  Corbet 
and  the  innocent  captain  on  his  return.    But  of 
the  nature  of  that  meeting  they  w^re  destined  to 
remam  m  ignorance.    All  was  leftflfe  conjecture 
and  such  powerful  imaginations  as  theirs  supplied 
aem  with  many  vivid  fancy  sketches  of  scenes 
wterem  figured  the  justly  irate  wife,  and  the  in- 
jnred,  yet  forbearing,  Corbet. 
_  Tune  passed  on,  until  at  length  one  afternoon  a  . 
thriU  of  excitement  waff  thrown  over  the  plav-    ■ 
ground   by    the  appearance   of  Corbet   himself. 
Like  all  popular  favorites,  he  was  received  with 
an  uproarious  greeting.    He  accepted  the  tribute 
with  a  mild  and  pensive  countenance,  and  by  his 
mannefshowed  that  something  unusual  was  going 
to  take  plact.    What  that  was  they  soon  learned 

Wlt.n     a    mr\lai-a-nn.A      ^ -I 


fttr:f*!f*l  T'.  f  *  >«'*  without  effofi^ 


M 


jU 


v,«  '•«>        J  .,         "^  '  ^  wiLuout  emotion, 

he  informed  them  that  he  was  shortly  about  to . 


/' 


'1- 


. 


«,?! 


■ 


■sir 


/ 


ANOTHEB  VOrAOB. 


345 


leave  them,  and  had  como  down  for  the  especial 
■purpose  of  bidding  them  good  by  ^ 

This  announcement  was  received  with  astonish- 
ment  and  sorrow.     Upon  further  questionirig  they 

l«o*^t^r''^^^'"^'°*''^--^-^p^ 

Bostmg.  An  ind.vidool  of  his  years  moughtltve 
hoped  to  rest  his  aged  boi.es  under  his  LnZ 
a  nusmn  of  his  babby ;  but  Pate  an  the  wiflof  ^ 
boosnmstud  clean  agin  it,  tickerlarly  the  lattt 
bem  a  h,gh  sperrit  an  given  to  domineerin.  SoTt 
Lev  kem  abeout  that  sence  the  resurrection  of  the 
echewner  she  have  fairly  druv  me  from  my  natyve 
hearthstun,  to  temp  the  dangerous  wave,  an  cms 

All  a,r  ready.    My  boat  air  on  the  shore,  a 

taon  of  the  schewner.,   I  may  be  sundered  far  from 

my  babby,  but  this  I  will  sav  tl>»f  i„  tu       S 
„<■  ,],„    .   '    ,  '"  ^*yi  tnat  m  the  cabme 

of  the  Antelope  reigns  peace  I    Ef  I  can't  presf 
»y  babby  .n  my  parential  arms,  I  can  hold  his 

ley  tor  his  footoor  years,  which,  sence  I've  ben 

uB-saeezed  at.  Ouy  when anyof  youhs  gbes  an 
JBts  marned,  as  some  of  you  may  some  time  dew, 
^^e_thew«rdof^^,e,^„look.„„t.f„; 


rilwW'W ' 


^n' 


'a^t 


1 


346  THE  BOTB  OP  GRAND   PB6  SCHOOL. 


.  Here  Cap||g»ga%)au^d,  apd  appeared  some- 
what  agitated.  He  then  prepared  to  bid  them 
farewell.  But  the  boys  would  not  listen  totjiis!^ 
His  farewell  should  take  place  elsewhere,  myva^ 
going  to  leave  ol{  the  next  day ;  and  as^^at  day 
was  Saturday,  they  promised  to  be  down,:  at  the 
wharf  to  see  him  oflf. 

The  schooner  was  to  sail  in  the  afternoon,  and 
all  the  boyswiere  on  the  spot  punctually,  imme- 
diately after  diilher.     Soon  Corbet  ^de   his  ap- r 
pearance.    The  meek,  the  gentle,  and^e  venerable  ' 
na,yigator  looked  upon  them  all  with  a  mournful 


0^t- 


"  You  know  the  song  you  made,  boys  ?  "  said  he, 
sadly,—     %  ,         '# 

Should  Captalft'Corbet  be  forgot, 
A  sailing  q'er  t^e  sea,— 

I't  forget  me."<.  y^ 

i'^Never,"  cried  Bart,  as  h^  grasped  his  hand  in. 
f&r^m.  The  m^ncholy  %tain4hen  went  round, 
and  sTiook  hands  with  all  of  thenya  sil^ce.'-  Then 
he  went  on  board^^ia  scliooner.  Mie  Antelope 
had  been  re|||ated.  ijL  the  traces  of  her  mishap 
had  been  <»er|ted.  A  coat  of  nedt  coal  tar 
cov'erdd  her'^'f  outlines.  Another  coat  of  grease 
adorned  her  tapering  masts.  Sundry  patches  were 
here  and  there  visible  on  her  flowing  sails.  That 
hold  which  had  once  carried  the  boys  over  Minas 
""   '     "'      gtatoes.    The  lidgwar" 


wa& 


-  -      4 .  -..*vy      v*uo     »»CM5 

high  and  on  the  turn.    The  wind  was  fair.    Corbet 


f 


fl9lL%,      , 


%^^ 


> 


■r,t 


%i»a>iijiM«t..tLiP-  -   . 


4 


i 


% 


\ 


«w.'ifc 


DEPARTURE  OP  THE  ANTELOPE.       347 

took  the  helm.  The  man  Wade,  whose  old  'oman's 
namB  was  Gipson,  who  had  been  mate  on  their 
memorable  cruise,  saile^^now  with  Captain  Corbet 
in  the  following  capacities :  —  ' 

Istitiate,  \ 
•  2d  mfate,         .        .        . 

Steward, 
Carpenter,  *         , 

^   „  ,;     ■    Cook,        .  " 

Cabin  boy,    •-       '  . 

Boatswain, 

Boatswain's  mate,  , 

Crew.  *  ' 


The  lines  were  c^st  off. 

The  Antelope  caught  the  breeze,  and  yielding  at 
the  same  moment  to  the  tide,  she  moved"  away  from 
the  land,  and  down  the  tortuous  channel  ef  Mud 
Creek.  ^M. 

The  boys  followed  along  the  banki|^|fe  creek 
till  they  reached  its  mouth.  Here  th^  stood  in 
silence. 

Outside,  a  thick  veil  of  fog  covered  the  \^cater, 
and  hid  all  the  scene  from  view. 

The  Antelope  sailed  on,  and,  passing  the  boys, 
entered  the  water  beyond.    The  bc^^s  tossed  up 
,  their  hats,  and  breaking  the  solemn  sHence,  sent 
-i>yer-tho  water4oudHahout8  of  good  by. 

The  shout  reached  the  ears  of  the  captain.  He 
turned.    His  mild  lace  was  visible  for  a  few  mo- 


# 


348  Ti|b  BOYS  OP  GBAND  PbA  SCHOOL, 

ments  as  he  waved  his  h^nd  again  wid  air^n  in 
token  of  adieu.  ©       *« 

Then  he  turned  again. 

And  8cr%e  boys  amod  there  watching,  until  at 
last  the  Antelope  entered  a  thick  fog  bank,  and 
bore  the  captain  slowly  away  from  their  gaze. 


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A 


\o 


REV.  ELIJAH  KELLOOO'S 

ELRf  iSLAWD  STORIES 


7 


1. 
2. 
8. 
4. 


6. 


liion  Ben  of  Elm  Island. 
Charlie  Bell. 
The  Ark  of  Elm  Island. 
The  Bw  Farmers  of  Elm 

The  Young  Shipbuilders  of 
Elm  Island.         i  ■■> 

The  HardsorabUe  of  Elm 


muHrat94^  Natural  HiaUtry, 

YOUW  HONTEB'8  LIBRARY. 


mattnted. 


Island.  ^ 


u  i  ^Hfl!!*'""?  sentimentalism  in  this  series. 
It  IS  all  downright  matter-of-fact  boy  lifeTand 
of  course  they  are  deeply  interested  in  read- 
itLJ.;-  ^t^.'i's'onf  of  pioneer  life  is  so 
attractive  that  one  involuntarily  wishes  to 
^^LJ^°^  '^'^1  st..»iggles  with  adverse 
cireumstancei  and  joinlhe  busy  adtors  in 
their  8uccess<iil  efforts  to  build  up  pleasant 
iWi°"   °"  ****"   islands. '^-i-ZwV, 


LEE  &  8HEPARD,  Publishers.  Boston. 


Wonderful  Stories. 


By  Msa.  RII.U.     Four  volumes 
•Pw  VOL,  411  JO. 

^^%if 'i"^'™"*^^  Wanderers.  ' 

The  AdvenMires.  of  Captain  Spencer  and  i 
f;^°^  »°d  Dog  iri  the  Wifd.  of  aW  i 

T*^e  i^frioan  Orusoes.  ■ 

h>'L^terA?:iS^'^°»  "•"  ^^"»  i 

•^^eodotos.  of  Animals. 

With  their  Habits,  Instincts,  &c.,  &c.      \ 

Anecdotes  of  B^s    Fiahna  i»««    ' 
tiles.  &c..  their  ffi's  andfnlfi'n^P-  : 

This  18  a  ve 

the  piirpose  oi  ,„. 

study  of  natural  history."  The'^xciTin^  ^7 
ventures  of  celebrated  travtllersTanecdo'^ 
ofsagaatyin  birds,  beasts,  &c..  have  be«J 
interwoven  in  a  pleasant  maiine;     Thi^ 

^A^l^tSSnr'"'"^''-^'^! 


iry.popular  series,  prtpared  for 
3f  interesting  the  young  in  the  ' 

ral    histnnr        TK- :?•    "       ■ 


LK4SHEPARP,  Publishsn,  Boston. 


The'  OretU   West. 


JUTLAND  SERIES.    '  THE  FRONTIER  SERIES 


IWvcL   lUuitnUed.    Set  In  .  netf  b«,  or  loM 
\    •epuite.,  Fkr  vol..  tlJiO. 

The  Saiid  HUls  of  Jutland. 

•     ByHana  Christian  Andenea     i6iiia 
Illustrated. 

Yams  of  >m  Old  Mariner. 

By  Mrs.>  M?ry  Cowden  Clarke.     Illus- 
trated by  Cruikshank.  i6ma 


Bohoolboy  Days. 

ByW.  H.  G.  Kingstoa 
teen  illustrations. 


i6ma      Six- 


Oreafc  Men  and  OaUant  Deeds. 

By  J.  G.Edgar.    i6mo.    lUustrated. 

Four  books  by  four  noted  authors  comprise 
thi^  sc  -8,  which  contains  Adventures  by  Sea 
Mdttt^'  l^ly  Sporto  of  England.  Boy 
***'  ■iggglJf b-gchoQli,. Jaity  Talea,  and 

nAm -111 J* «       ...        . 


"^enii,  —  ail  luuuls(Mne]y  illustrate^. 
-    ^  tit  A  SMEPAMI,  PiiblidierB.  BoMoD. 

" ' ' vr' 


<..5 


Five  roll.    nibrtraiW^Per  vol.,  $l.2J. 

Twelve  Nights  in  the  Hunters' 
Camp. 

A  Thousand  Miles' 'Walk  Across  '■ 
South  America. . 

The  Cabin  on  the  Prairie, 
Hantinfir  the  WUdemess.  ^ 
The  Younfc  Pioneers. 

the  rornance  ^rrpunding  the  adventuroM  : 
lives  of  Western  pioneers  and  immigrantt  i 
",^?  ««ggested  nearlv  as  many  stories  as  the  ■ 
chtvalric  deeds  of  knight-errantry.     ThSe  •' 
tales  of  frontier  life  are,  however,  ds  a  ivde.  i 
character>zed  by  such  wildness  of  fancy  and  i 
such  extravagancy  of  laiipuage  that  we  hav»  : 
often  wondered  why  another  Cemntes  did 
not  ndicule  our  border  romnnols  bVdescrib- 
ing  a  second  Don  Quixote's  Adventures  on 
the  praines.     We  are  pleased  to  notice,  that  i 
in  the  new  series  of  Frontier  Tales,  &  Lee  i 
«  Shepard.  there  is  an  agreeable  absence  of  : 
s«ufcrtj«wl  wfH,„g,  of  that  mwutthngnltT^ 
mentality  which  make  the  generality  of  such 
tales  nauseous. "  —  Siandahi  -       I 

LEE  A  SHEfAitD.  Publiaben,  Bocton. 


is^WWWixBr-^' 


faturai  Hittory. 

rER'8  LIBRARY.! 

Wanderers. 

of  Captein  Spencer  and  ■• 
og  in  the  WifcU  of  Au»^  i 

isoes.  f 

of  Carlos  and  ADtonio  : 
unca.  : 

limals, 

s,  Instincts,  ftc,  &c.      \ 

fds,  Fishes,  Hep-  : 

abits  and  Instincts. 

ar  series,  prtpared  for  \ 
iting  the  young  in  the  '• 
ry.  The  exciting  ad-  : 
i  travellers,  anecdotes  ; 
easts,  &c.,.have  been  i 
nt  manner,  lliis^se-  ' 
interesting  but  is  dedi*  '■ 
g.  • 

),  Publishws,  Boston.  :' 
tt   West. 

lER  6ERJES  I 

*y- Per  vol.,  $1.25. 

Q  the  Hunters' 


8* 'Walk  Across 


Prairie, 
lemess.  .^ 
ers. 

ding  the  adventuro^a  : 
ers  and  immigrants  i 

many  stories  as  the  ■ 
ht-errantry.      Thete  • 

however,  Ss  a.  tWe,  : 
ildness  of  fancy  and  : 
ipiiage  that  we  hav«  : 
other  Ccnantes  did 
'omnno6s  by^descri]}- 
oie's  i^dventures  on 
sased  to  notice, 
mtier  Tal      "" 
>greeable 


MISS-  LOUISE  M.   THUkSTON's 

CHARLEY  ROBERTS  8ERJE8. 

\i     To  be  completed  in  six^ia^    Illustrated. 
Per  volume,  $j. 


ill  ^*^^  Charley  Rob«Pt8  Be 
oame  a  Man.  •«  -«© 


MAY  ittAMmRiiro's 

HELPING  HAND  8ER18.    ? 

Six  volume*    lU„tr^t.±    PervoW,#x.j 


li 


Climbine  axe  Rope.  | 

:  How  H^     ,  ^,  Si^^-^sms^ , gavarlfn  .  j 

:       yr       I      101195  . 


c,  3 


uy^descruj-  ; 
I'entures  on  ■ 
notice,  that  '■  I 
lies,  ty  Lee  :  I 

absance  of  ; 


e  generality  of  such  i 
iard.  «       n 

len,  Bottoa 


X  '  .,  -  ■  -  •     ' 

— . ,- .^ : T-  ■  ■■    -! 


